The Parable of the Four Poster
by rhiawoods
Summary: Slightly AU LilyJames fic. A different approach than most, as Lily is actually friends with the boys at the beginning. Read it to find out what happens and why they split! Please R&R!
1. Owls and Letters

So I got tired of Lily always hating James for no apparent reason. So I'm trying to make a reason. And yes, the first chapters are about some other character. I got tired of their points of view as well. The first actual character appears in the second chapter.

I made the characters of Lily and James different as well. I'm just breaking all the rules of the classic LilyJames fic. Sorry to all you devotees out there, but this is how I see it. Some of the things are a little AU, just so you know.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the stuff you recognize, seeing as I am not J.K. Rowling. And here I thought the general populous was intelligent enough to realize this.

Chapter One: Owls and Letters

On July 30, 1975, a letter arrived. It wasn't in the usual fashion, from the post man with a return address and everything. This letter was delivered straight to Jenna's room, by an _owl_. Nor did the letter look like any she have ever received before. The envelope was thick and wasn't like any paper she had ever seen. It was addressed to "Jenna M. Smith, First Floor Bedroom, 28 Saint Edward Lane, Ipswich, England," written in emerald green ink. The mystified girl turned the envelope over to see a wax seal with the imprint of four animals surrounding a crest- a lion, an eagle, a hedgehog and a snake.

She broke the seal and the letter slid out of the envelope with ease. Then Jenna read the words that would change her life forever.

Miss Jenna M. Smith,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

As your family is non-magical, a school official assist you in the process of purchasing supplies for school. A small trust fund is available to those born in non-magical families to help with the first year of school, as the wizarding world uses a different currency than the non-magic world. You must be in the company of a school official to gain access to this fund. This official will arrive at your home on August 31 and will then accompany you to the train station. Term begins September 1.

Yours sincerely,

Professor McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Shock swept through Jenna's mind. She had dreamed of magic for five years, ever since reading her first fantasy story at six. She had felt an uncanny connection with the characters in the stories, and here was the explanation! There _was_ magic in the world, and with proper training, she, Jenna Melissa Smith, could use it! A boarding school to teach magic to those with the ability... Jenna could only hope her parents would allow her to go.

They had always been slightly prejudiced against those who were different, and her older sister Renae had inherited and expanded those feelings. Luckily, Jenna and the younger Lena were blessed with happier and more forgiving natures. Convincing them that not only was this letter real, but that they should let her go was difficult. She had to resort to every trick she knew, banking on the fact her parents knew that while she could be capricious and flighty at times, Jenna was always serious about the things she believed in. And she was serious about Hogwarts and learning magic. Eventually they consented, though their consent was only in the occasion that the school official would appear on the scheduled date. Jenna hoped they had felt a change of heart and would become proud that she would be able to do magic.

Jenna never held such hope for her sister. Renae was adamantly against Jenna going to Hogwarts from the beginning. Though the two had never been close, they had never seriously fought before, but now with Jenna's newly revealed abilities and Renae's prejudiced opinions, a serious rift quickly grew between the sisters. Jenna had to endure her taunts and jibes about birds delivering mail for the several weeks between the arrival of the letter and the beginning of the school term.

Lena, on the other hand, was nearly as excited about the discovery of magic as Jenna was. She was born about the time Jenna had discovered magic stories, and she read them to Lena as bedtime stories. This nightly activity created a bond between the girls. They were nearly inseparable and Lena delighted in Jenna reading to her. The two would hide from Renae in Jenna's room and imagine the delights that awaited Jenna at school.

The only black spot in those weeks for Jenna was leaving Lena. She would miss her younger sister terribly, with only Renae to keep Lena company. Renae had no use for books and stories. She was too busy with her high school social life to pay any attention to the little sister.

The weeks passed slowly. Jenna planned what she would need for the year, minus the books and supplies required for first year Hogwarts students. She packed the things wanted, though half the large suitcase was full of books. Jenna wasn't about to leave home without her favorite ones, not for an entire school year. Who knew if this new school would have an acceptable library?


	2. Explanations

Chapter Two: Explanations

August 30 arrived. Jenna was nervous. What if the letter hadn't been real? It had looked official, but it was possible to fake that. What if the school official forgot? Or decided she wasn't really a witch and wasn't worthy to go to the school? In addition to Jenna's own nervous thoughts, she had to endure Renae's withering stares and comments like, "Why are you so nervous? No one's going to come." Lena, on the other hand, firmly believed that the official would come and that Jenna would leave her forever. Her comments were only slightly better- "Why do you have to go away? Who's going to read to me?" Jenna would miss that little girl.

The family had just sat down for lunch when the doorbell rang. In the process of jumping up to answer it, Jenna, who had never possessed grace in any form, tripped over her chair and knocked a glass of water over onto herself. Lena got the door, revealing a stern looking woman. "Can you do magic?" Lena asked, all wide, innocent blue eyes.

Lena had a way of charming everyone she met. The woman's look softened. "Why, yes I can. Would you like to see?"

Lena giggled and clapped her hands. And suddenly, the woman disappeared! In her place was a gray tabby cat. Then, in the blink of an eye, she turned back into a woman. Lena was so astonished, she couldn't say anything. The woman spoke again. "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I have come to take Miss Jenna Smith for her school shopping. I trust this is her place of residence?" She addressed Jenna's mother, who stood open mouthed at the head of the table.

"I'm Lena. That's Jenna. She fell." Lena pointed at the unfortunate girl. Jenna's face turned crimson. Here it was, the biggest moment of her life, and she was on the floor, soaking wet.

Mother was the first to gather her wits together and broke the silence that had been growing since Lena's comment. "Professor, please come in and have a seat. I am Genevive Smith, Jenna's mother. Her father isn't here at the moment." Professor McGonagall entered the house, stepping around rose, who was staring in wide eyed astonishment at the cat-lady. Mother shook the professor's hand and sat on the couch in the sitting room as well. Jenna ran off to change into some clean, dry clothes, determined to salvage what little dignity she might have left.

When Jenna, in fresh, dry clothes, returned, the professor and her mother were discussing the logistics of Jenna attending a school in an indeterminate location elsewhere in the country. Renae was peeking through the doorway, trying to hide in the kitchen and keep an eye on Professor McGonagall at the same time. She stared open mouthed at Jenna when she entered the sitting room. Lena was sitting on Professor McGonagall's lap, playing with a long, slim length of wood that could only be a wand, as it was shooting gold sparkles out one end.

"How are we going to pay for all this?" Mother was asking.

"You don't have to worry about the first year. As the letter explained, there is a trust fund for first year students of Muggle- non-magic- families. This allows the student and the family to acclimate themselves to the wizarding world. After the first year, you will find that the tuition is no more than for other boarding schools.

"Now, about this one," Professor McGonagall continued, speaking about Lena. "She evidently possesses some magical talent as well. When she is eleven, you will receive a letter for her and she will be able to attend Hogwarts with Jenna."

"I want to go with Jenna now." Lena said. "She's my special sister." Jenna always did love that girl more than Renae, though she wouldn't offend her by saying so. Lena was adorable, too, with huge blue eyes and gently curling brown hair.

While Jenna was in her reverie, thinking about leaving her sisters, Mother and the professor were wrapping up their discussion. Professor McGonagall rose, giving Mother a small pile of pamphlets. The top one was titled "So Your Daughter is a Witch." "These should cover anything you need to know that we haven't discussed already. I will have Jenna back to you tonight and return to take her to the train in the morning."

Mother agreed to this plan, though she expressed concern that Professor McGonagall would have to stay in a hotel tonight. She replied that she would most certainly not stay in a hotel, but would be returning to the school by Apparation to complete preparations for the first day. An explanation was required for Apparation and then why underage wizards (or in this case, witches) could not apparate and why a portkey would be used when Jenna was with her. Then an explanation of portkeys and on and on. If you give a mouse a cookie...

By the time Professor McGonagall was finished with her explanations, someone had noticed Jenna's bare feet and she was sent to her room for shoes. Finally she and the professor were ready to leave.

Portkeys give one the very strange sensation of being jerked behind the navel, like an exaggerated version of driving up and down rolling hills. There is also a rush of wind, as if it was speeding the travelers to their destination, which, for Jenna and Professor McGonagall, turned out to be marble steps leading up to a white marble building.


	3. Shopping, Books and Mysterious Boys

Disclaimer: I think I forgot on the last chapter, but you all know the drill by now. And if this happens to be the first story you have ever read on fanfiction, let me inform you that nothing on this website is original, so don't let anyone fool you into thinking that they came up with all this stuff on their own. Of course, since it is written by fans, that should be obvious.

…………………………………

Chapter Three: Shopping, Books and Mysterious Boys

Professor McGonagall and Jenna landed on white marble steps leading up to a huge set of bronze doors. "This, my dear, is Gringotts. It is here that we can access the trust fund for your school supplies." Jenna was too astonished to speak by that enormous building and the sight of the motley crowd of humans around her, though "human" only loosely applied to some. "Gringotts is guarded and kept by goblins," Professor McGonagall said in response to the girl's unasked question.

A goblin bowed us through the bronze doors, where they were faced by a second set of doors, these ones silver with an inscription on it:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

"Goblins do not take too kindly to robbery." The professor ushered Jenna into the building and up to a long marble counter. She told her business to the goblin that stepped up to help. Nothing would persuade her to place her person in one of those "infernal carts." No begging on Jenna's part would convince the professor to allow her to go, either, so Jenna was denied what looked to be an extremely exciting roller coaster ride. So the goblin went on the "infernal cart" alone.

In his absence, Jenna pestered Professor McGonagall with questions about everything from why the bank employed goblins to why the school was named Hogwarts (something about a bewitched Godric Gryffindor falling in love with a warty hog and Salazar Slytherin thinking it was absolutely hilarious, even though, or perhaps because, it was he who cast the spell). The professor was getting annoyed by Jenna's endless and usually pointless questions by the time the goblin returned with a bulging bag, which he handed to her. Professor McGonagall quickly ushered Jenna outside, where the brilliant sunshine had turned to pouring rain.

"Oh, lovely." Professor McGonagall muttered, and used her wand to create a large black umbrella, which covered both of them completely, and hurried down the street, which was busy despite the weather.

Much of the trip passed by in a whirl of black cloaks, wand waving, and musty shops. That is, until the last stop. Jenna caught a glimpse of the name "Flourish and Blotts" before being firmly pushed inside out of the continuing downpour. Then she lost all thought of bad weather, sore feet, and all the other complaints of a long shopping trip. "Have I died or was I just translated, because this can't be anything other than heaven." Jenna had found her true love. Never had she seen a place so wonderful, amazing, astonishing... No bookstore she had ever been in was this great. Row upon row of beautiful books, and a winding staircase drew my gaze upwards to a second and a third level, both open in the middle and lined floor to ceiling with bookcases crammed with books of all shapes and sizes. It was simply amazing.

"Girl, shut your mouth. You resemble a cow who has forgotten to chew." Professor McGonagall's sharp voice cut through Jenna's wordless astonishment.

"Can we stay forever?"

Professor McGonagall looked at the only place on the wall that was free of books, which was a large clock with books forming the Roman numerals on the face. "Not forever. You have two hours until we absolutely must return you to your parents."

"Okay. Do I have any extra money?"

"Yes. I thought you might want to save it for this. Go, while I find the ones you need." The professor handed me a bag of coins.

"Thanks! Bye!" Jenna scampered off, to a bookshelf that had particularly caught her eye. It held books on magical creatures. She pulled out one that had silver embossing on a jet black leather spine- an all inclusive volume on unicorns. She took it with her.

Around the corner of the bookcase, there was a stack of baskets. Jenna took one, thinking it might come in handy. Jenna would buy several books in every bookstore she went in. Jenna gently placed the unicorn book in the basket and commenced wandering around the marvelous shop.

After choosing several different books on many subjects, Jenna browsed down an aisle devoted to divination. A likely looking binding caught my eye. She stepped forward to look more closely and her feet helpfully tangled themselves in her long skirt. The floor rushed up to meet her, and her basket went flying as she tried to catch herself. It landed clear at the end of the aisle. Jenna looked down the row at her scattered books. The basket had landed at the feet of a boy about the same age. "You know, with an arm like that, you ought to try for Chaser."

"Oh, be quiet and help me pick these up." Jenna was not in the best of moods right then. This was the second time that day she had made a fool of herself by landing on the floor. She sat up cross-legged and gathered the books within reach.

"Someone's cranky today." The boy picked up the rest of the books anyway and brought them and the basket to Jenna. He then joined her, much more gracefully, on the floor.

"Thanks for helping me. And sorry for snapping at you earlier." Jenna said, sheepishly, fiddling with the hem of my skirt.

"Of course, with grace like yours, I wouldn't trust you to remove either of your feet from the ground, so I must advise you against trying out for any Quidditch position. Maybe scorekeeper is more your forte."

Jenna felt herself blushing at her ignorance. "What is Chaser?"

The boy gasped at her. "What is Chaser? What is Chaser! Oh, wait. You must be Muggle-born." When Jenna nodded, he continued. "Chaser is a position in Quidditch." He then went on to describe the most popular wizarding game in the world. Honestly, Jenna couldn't care less. She did not care much for sports of any description, not even one played on brooms. After several minutes of complete boredom, except for the challenge of looking interested, Jenna glanced up at the clock and found that she only had about 45 minutes left in this paradise.

"Um, excuse me, but you must have lived in this world all your life. Would you mind recommending some books that would help me?" Jenna interrupted, kindly, she hoped, in a desperate attempt to be released from this sports talk.

"You don't like sports much, do you?" The boy's hair seemed to wilt a little from the disappointment. Jenna shook her head. But he brightened again almost immediately. "I know just the ones! Follow me."

Taking Jenna's basket and helping her up from the floor, the boy charged off down the aisle from the direction he had come. Turning the corner, he picked up a basket that was almost as full as Jenna's.

"Um, I can carry my own basket." Jenna reached out to take it, but he would not give in to her.

"I will carry it." He momentarily assumed a lofty tone and lost it as he began a running commentary on the subjects the pair were passing. He was charming, civilized, rather intelligent, by his knowledge of the bookstore. Dark hair, hazel eyes and somewhat long nose completed the picture of a very nice eleven year old boy, very likely of the wealthy class.

He was handing Jenna books and giving a brief summary of each. They had paused in front of a fiction section- Jenna made the boy stop- when Professor McGonagall found them. "Miss Smith, it's time to leave."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall. But I need to pay for these." The professor and Jenna turned to go. "Wait." Jenna turned back to the boy. "Thank you for helping me."

"No problem. And good luck with the Chaser tryouts, Grace." He winked and turned to leave. Jenna crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at his retreating back. She didn't like nicknames very much.

"Grace?" Professor McGonagall raised a questioning eyebrow at Jenna.

"Um, he caught me in a bit of a mishap. Like the one you found me in." Professor McGonagall smiled, something Jenna was beginning to find was a rare occurrence for the stern professor.

"Well, let's go pay for your many books." They set off for the counter, where Jenna paid and Professor McGonagall regained possession of the previous purchases, which she had left with the clerk to allow unencumbered shopping. The professor had also bought a few books for herself. Once business was complete, Professor McGonagall pulled out the key that had taken the professor and Jenna to Gringotts, tapped it with her wand, whispered "_Portus,_" and they were off back home in a rush of wind.

…………………………………

Hey you all who have the dedication to read all three chapters of my little story, please have the dedication to push that little button down there that lets you post a review of my story. It would be very nice to hear from any one reading my story.


	4. Saying Goodbye

Disclaimer: Please note that, seeing as I am not a famous, rich author, none of this could possibly be mine.

Chapter Four: Saying Good-bye

That night, Jenna's parents held a going away party for her. They didn't tell the guests the entire truth, just that Jenna was going to a boarding school in the country. Her parents had decided that, since the magical community had remained hidden for many centuries, it was not up to them to reveal it. Thankfully, since Professor McGonagall's visit, they had both come around to having a witch or two in the family.

Jenna couldn't fall asleep that night. She was too excited and nervous to sleep. She tossed and turned for hours, until Lena crawled in bed with her. She planted a wet kiss on Jenna's nose and whispered, "I love you," before curling up beside her. Jenna wrapped her arms around her little sister and pulled her close. A few tears escaped her eyes and landed on the pillow. Jenna would miss her family, especially Lena.

Jenna must have fallen asleep, because her mother woke her up the next morning by pulling open the curtains. "Rise and shine! Today's your big day!

Jenna popped out of bed, after extricating herself from Lena's grasp and got dressed for the day- overalls with blue embroidery and a matching t-shirt. She slipped on some sandals and brushed her long brown hair, which was then plaited and wound into a crown on her head. By that time Lena had gotten up and attached herself to Jenna's leg. Jenna couldn't get her to let go, so she had to drag her down the hall into the kitchen.

Mother had made Jenna breakfast, but she couldn't eat anything. Finally, the doorbell rang. Jenna stood up with much more care than the day before and made it all the way into the living room, where she then tripped over her suitcase. Lena got the door again, and Professor McGonagall entered.

"Um, hi!" Jenna said brightly from her seat on the floor. Professor McGonagall snorted- her version of laughter. "Let's go!"

Lena started crying. "I don't want Jenna to go!"

"Oh, sweetie, don't cry." Jenna knelt and wrapped her arms around her again. "I will be back for vacations and stuff."

"Don't go? Please?" Lena sniffed.

"I have to."

"Then take me with you."

"I can't." Jenna looked up at the professor for assistance.

"It's time to go. Gather your things," Professor McGonagall said. Jenna disentangled herself form Lena again and turned to say good-bye to the rest of her family. Renae was slightly scared of Jenna now that she knew Jena really was a witch. She didn't return Jenna's hug. Jenna took hold of the handles of her two suitcases and smiled at her family. Mother burst into tears.

"Um, I guess we'll be going then," Jenna said, slightly alarmed at this show of emotion. Professor McGonagall pulled out the portkey and they were gone in a rush of wind.

Please review!


	5. The Train and Arrival

Disclaimer: "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" That is the sound of me, running away from all the J.K Rowling fans out there. Wait a minute, I'm not J.K Rowlings! How silly of me. For a moment I forgot and was afraid I would have to give out five million signatures. But now I remember, and so should you, that I am not the creator of the Harry Potter series, nor any characters directly related to that magnificent piece of work. Darn!

Chapter Five: The Train

The scene that met her eyes when Jenna opened them was one of confusion. A scarlet train engine sat puffing smoke under a sign declaring that this was "Platform 9 3/4." Excited students of all ages ran up and down the platform as agitated parents tried to make sure their students had remembered their books, clean underwear, and everything else under the sun. Jenna would later swear she even heard the words "kitchen sink" and "suitcase" in the same sentence. Yells of excitement erupted when friend met friend after the long summer and some scared kids near Jenna's own age wouldn't leave their parents' sides.

"Well, let's get you onto the train, and then I have some other business to which I must attend." Professor McGonagall walked Jenna to the door of a carriage, kindly pulling one of the heavy suitcases. She handed both up to Jenna, and after saying "Good-bye and good luck," shut the door and walked off down the platform.

Suddenly Jenna felt scared. The absence of a familiar face, albeit a stern one, brought the truth home to her. She would be miles away from anyone she knew and wouldn't see her family for several months. Jenna would be in a completely strange environment, learning things she had only dreamed of before. She felt her eyes burn with tears she refused to shed.

To take her mind off her sudden homesickness, Jenna set about finding an empty compartment. There wasn't one. She headed back down the aisle, pulling both suitcases behind her, to one with only one occupant. Jenna figured that since she must brave the presence of an unknown person, it ought to be only one.

Jenna knocked on the door. Through the frosted glass, she saw the person stand and open the door. "Hi, could-" But before Jenna could finish my sentence, she was interrupted.

"Hey, Grace, I've been looking for you." It was the boy Jenna had met in the bookstore. "I never properly introduced myself..." He stopped and looked at the girl who had slid open the compartment door. "It seems you have found another friend."

"Actually, I-" Interrupted again, this time by the other girl.

"I'm Lily Evans. And you are?"

"James Potter. And this," he gestured at Jenna, "is Grace."

"Actually, I'm Jenna Smith." She corrected. "May we come in?"

Lily stepped aside. "So why did he call you Grace?"

"Well, he found me in Flourish and Blotts on the floor." Jenna lifted her suitcases into the overhead compartment. "I tripped, and my books found themselves at the other end of the aisle. James helped me pick them up."

"So, Jenna Grace, why do you have two trunks?" James asked as all three sat. "Most kids only have one."

"Well, they're both half full of books. I would have only brought one suitcase, but then I would have no clothes. I just couldn't leave all my books, plus I had all my school books."

"You know Hogwarts has a huge library, don't you?" James asked.

"Yeah, I asked Professor McGonagall yesterday."

At this, Lily looked very interested. "But McGonagall was with me all day yesterday."

"Impossible. She was with me this morning as well." Jenna contradicted.

"I wonder how that would work, because she brought me here. James, do you know?" Lily had also figured that James was wizard-born.

"No, I don't."

"Jamsie!" A boisterous black haired boy bounded down the corridor and into the compartment. "I thought I heard your voice!" He plopped himself down next to Lily, across from James.

"Hey, Sirius. Wondered when you'd show up." James introduced the girls to his friend.

"Sirius? What a seriously cool name." Lily quipped.

"Ha, ha. Like I haven't heard that one a thousand times before." Sirius momentarily scowled before returning to his good-natured grin. "So are you two Muggle-born?"

"Yes." "Yeah." Jenna and Lily answered at the same time.

"Cool! Tell me about them." Sirius looked eager. "I wasn't allowed to talk to Muggles. Mother thought they would 'corrupt me' or something."

"Only if you tell us about yours." Lily required.

The four first-years traded stories for several hours until they were interrupted by a plump woman with a cart of brightly wrapped sweets. "Anything from the cart, dears?"

"Heck yeah!" James and Sirius said in unison. They each bought as much as they could carry and dumped it on the floor of the compartment, as the spare seats were occupied by various carry-on bags. Seeing that the other three were prepared to immerse themselves into sugar induced mania, Jenna pulled her book out of her backpack.

"Hey, Jenna Grace, what's that?" Lily asked. Jenna lifted the book to show the title- _The Once and Future King._ "Yuck. Too long and boring for me."

"I've actually read that. How do you like it?" James was much more interested than Lily.

"It's good. The King Arthur story is really interesting." Jenna replied.

"Okay, before you get into some book discussion, have pity on the rest of us uneducated fools and tell us which house you want to be in." Sirius was about as interested as Lily, though not as uneducated as he'd like them to believe.

Professor McGonagall had told the girls about the different houses the day before, but they were both interested on the "insider opinion," complete with stereotypes, that the boys would give them.

"Well, I would like to be in Ravenclaw." James said. "My mother was in it, and everybody says I'm a lot like her."

"Ravenclaw's okay, but it's full of snotfaces who think they're better because they're clever. I want Gryffindor!" Sirius struck a pose like a bodybuilder. "Strong and brave describes me perfectly, don't you think?"

"Compared to a snail, certainly." Lily threw a piece of candy at him, hitting him right between the eyes.

"OW! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot. Sit down."

"I'm not an idiot. Slytherins are idiots. I mean, can you imagine being stuck with Snapey-poo for seven long, long years?" Sirius pretended to pout. James snorted.

"Uh, explanation please?" Lily asked.

But none was necessary. The compartment door slammed open to show a gangly, pale boy. An ugly sneer twisted his mouth. A wand that showed much use despite his obvious young age was already in his hand. "Don't you _ever_ call me that again, or you will find your ears removed from your head."

"Oh, look, James, Sevy has graced us with his presence again. What shall we do this time?"

Then the newcomer saw Lily and Jenna. "Consorting with mudbloods, are you, Black? Wait until your mother finds out. And James Potter, too. Just a couple of bloodtraitors. Why I lower my undefiled self to your level, I will never know." The boy turned on his heel and left.

Sirius pulled out his own wand and pointed it at the retreating back. "Snape isn't the only one who knows a couple curses. I had the same luck in families." But Sirius was prevented from his dearest wish of cursing Snape by the appearance of several older students, who cast withering glances at the young boy holding a wand.

"Is he a relative of yours?" Jenna asked when Sirius sat down again.

"Distantly. And I don't know why he's talking about 'undefiled.' His mother is the only wizard blood that moron has." Sirius answered. "Like I already told you, my family is pure-blood. And proud about it. They only barely tolerated James, even though his family is also pureblood. His family hasn't had a Slytherin in thousands of years."

"Why is that such a big deal?" Lily asked.

"Slytherins tend to be pure-blood, and hate those who aren't. My entire family is Slytherin. I would rather die than be one of _them_._" _The word was said with utmost contempt. "But if that half-blood idiot isn't in Slytherin, I'll eat my socks."

James snorted. "I'll do better than that. I'll eat _his_ socks."

After grumbling for several minutes about Snape and his evilness, the sugar regained the attentions of the two boys and talk turned instead to Quidditch and explaining the game to the very interested Lily. Jenna returned to her book. The rest of the train ride passed in a peaceful manner, with occasional interruptions to try and get Jenna to eat some wiggling or puke green or floating candy. It never worked. While she was fascinated with most things magical, that interest didn't extend to food that had no business being called edible.

Evening came, and the first years were told to put on their school robes, as the train was nearing a small village, where the students would disembark. As the four were leaving the compartment, Jenna asked, "Don't we need to bring our trunks?"

Sirius answered, grinning. "Don't worry about it. That's what houselves are for."

"Houselves?" She asked as the train lurched to a stop at the platform.

James explained about the diminutive help that many wealthier families and large establishment, such as the school, often had as the students disembarked from the train.

Thick tree surrounded the small station, seen only as darker shadows in the gloom of nightfall. A voice called over the heads of the milling students. "Firs' years over here! Firs' years, follow me!"

Turning toward the voice, Jenna saw a lamb moving high above the heads of the students, carried by a giant of a man with a face made more wild by the lamplight reflected from his black eyes. The four moved toward him, Jenna nearly falling on the slight step off the platform. The bobbing lamp led the first years down a steep rocky path through the black trees. "Yeh'll see the school jus' round the next bend," the giant said.

Around the promised bend, the tree suddenly cleared and a castle was seen, high on a hilltop on the other side of an enormous, black lake. The school was twinkling with many lit windows, reflected in the glassy water. The smooth surface of the lake was disturbed only by a fleet of small boats anchored by magical means near the shore.

"Four to a boat! Any more'n that, and you'll be squid food!"

Thus warned, the young students climbed into the waiting boats. Jenna, Lily, Sirius and James claimed one, James sitting next to Lily to continue his instruction on Quidditch. Once all the students were settled, the man gave a command and the boats slid forward toward the towering castle. On the boat, Sirius kept first Jenna, and then drew the attention of the other two, with stories of the giant squid that supposedly lived in the lake. Jenna listened, but didn't quite believe it until something long and slimy brushed the fingertips she was trailing behind the boat. She then jerked her hand inside the boat and listened with renewed interest to Sirius's tale.

Under a curtain of vines the boats glided, and through an underground tunnel, before bumping gently against a rocky shore. Clambering out of the boat, Jenna felt a surge of nerves. This was the place she would spend the greater part of the next seven years, as a student of magic.

The giant led the small crowd of students to a giant set of double doors, and knocked with a sound that echoed across the lake and back.

Reviews shall be rewarded with chocolate! Well, they would be if I could figure out a way to send it over the internet... Well, it's the thought that counts. Maybe the thought of bribery will work as well as the real thing?


	6. The Sorting

Disclaimer: I am J.K Rowling. I receive all the royalties from sales of Harry Potter. Which is why I am a poor starving college student. And no one knows who I am. And I haven't published six books and am soon to publish a seventh. Hmm... Maybe I'm not J.K Rowling after all. Gosh, I need to stop having these hallucinations. Or maybe go to bed earlier so I'm not typing while I'm dreaming. I just get my hopes up and then they come crashing down around me as I come to my senses. Hear that? That's the sound of my dream of being purple falling on my head.

Chapter Six: The Sorting

Professor McGonagall met the students in a huge entrance hall. She addressed the giant before turning to the scared first years. "I will take them from here, Hagrid.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a few minutes, you will be sorted into one of four houses- Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. From then on, the other members of your house will be your mentors and family for your entire school career.

"There is a inter-house competition every year, with points awarded for good behavior and taken away for breaking rules. The house cup, awarded yearly to the winner, is a great honor. Do your best to honor your houses.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly. Please wait here, quietly, until we are ready for you." Professor McGonagall strode swiftly across the large stone chamber, toward a staircase at the other end. As soon as she was out of sight, the students started whispering to each other- mostly speculations on the ceremony and which house they might be in.

Presently Professor McGonagall returned and led the now very frightened young students into the Great Hall and forward to the front of the room, where a tattered black hat sat on a stool. But Jenna spared barely a glance at the hat. She was enthralled with the black ceiling, twinkling with millions of stars. Someone whispered, "My sister says it does what the real sky does, even rains."

Everyone's attentions were riveted, however, on the hat when it began to sing, about the school and the four houses. (Sorry, I'm not much of a poet.) When it finished, the Great Hall burst into thunderous applause. Professor McGonagall stood next to the stool with a long piece of parchment. "When I call your name, please step forward and put the hat on. Aitkens, Westly!"

A blond boy stumbled up the steps, after being poked by his neighbor, and nervously put the hat on his head. The brim slipped down over his eyes and a look of extreme concentration came over his face. After a minute of Westly looking rather ridiculous on the stool, the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN" to the hall and Westly descended the steps toward the leftmost table, which had burst into cheers of congratulations.

"Ugh. Slytherins." Sirius spit the word like it was a horrible curse, and looked adequately chagrined when Professor McGonagall called "Black, Sirius!" He promptly turned green and took his time walking to the stool.

The hat had a longer turn on Sirius's head than on Westly. The visible lower portion of his head turned white and green by turns. Finally, Sirius was inducted into "GRYFFINDOR" to surprised gasps all around the hall. The lucky Sirius, however, looked ecstatic at the cheer of the table at the right and joined their numbers with a look like he had just broken a world record. James let out a cheer of his own for his friend.

Lily was getting more and more frightened as her turn approached. She grasped Jenna's hand and squeezed it, hard. Jenna was a little relieved when "Evans, Lily" was called and she could regain possession of her hand. Lily smiled weakly at Jenna's whispered "Good luck," and made her way through the crowd of first years to the stool. The hat proclaimed her future as a "GRYFFINDOR" rang out across the hall. Lily happily took a seat next to Sirius.

Each new house member warranted a deafening round of applause. As "Potter, James" was called and given to Gryffindor, Jenna's last source of comfort was gone. She began to be absolutely terrified and felt about to pass out until "Smith, Jenna" was called. And true to her nature, Jenna tripped over the top step and nearly knocked the stool over. A few students snickered, and she was not given the comfort of the hat hiding the hall from her eyes, as her crown of hair made her head large enough to support the hat.

"Hm... Where should you go?" Jenna jumped as a small voice whispered in her ear. "You could go anywhere. You have the dedication of Hufflepuff, the willingness to learn for Ravenclaw, and the bravery for Gryffindor."

"If you don't put me in Gryffindor with my friends, I will curse you into oblivion. When I learn how," Jenna mentally yelled.

"Well, well, it seems you have the temperament of a Slytherin. But as it is our choices that make us who we are, you will be in GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted out across the hall and Jenna jumped down to join her friends at the table.

"Congratulations, Jenna Grace." Lily greeted Jenna as she approached.

"Snape, Severus" was called next and James muttered, "I really hope he's in Slytherin. I think his socks would be particularly bad."

"Yeah, but I bet Sirius wishes that more. His are probably worse." Lily grinned at the accused boy.

But neither had to worry, since the hat yelled "SLYTHERIN" almost as soon as Snape sat on the stool.

The last first year to be sorted, "Zeller, Daisy," was looking decidedly ill by the time she was called and made a Ravenclaw. Then a tall man with long graying hair and half moon glasses stood at the podium. As he opened his mouth to speak, the students stopped muttering about the lack of food on the plates. "As headmaster, I wish to welcome the new students and bid you all 'Bon appetite!'" He raised his hands and the golden dishes on the tables filled with food of all varieties as he returned to his seat at the head of the staff table.

The boys hardly noticed the unconventional serving method. They simply grabbed the nearest dish and served themselves large portions of whatever food happened to be in it. Lily and Jenna took a moment to adjust to the sight and idea of food magically appearing before digging into the sumptuous feast.

Lily and Jenna both finished long before James and Sirius, watching in amazement as plate after plate of food was consumed. "How in the world do you manage to eat so much? I'd explode," Lily said.

"We're growing boys." Sirius reached across both Lily and Jenna's plates to reach for the potatoes. Jenna barely mastered the urge to stab his arm with her fork. Lily was not so kind. "Ow, what was the for?"

"You reached across my plate." Lily was unconcerned. "You should have better table manners than that. Please pass the potatoes."

"Sorry, all gone." James had just taken the last of them.

"You guys are such pigs." Jenna was disgusted.

"Well, it is called 'Hog'-warts." Sirius laughed, and then looked displeased when his food vanished from his plate. "Hey, I wasn't done with that!" His protest was cut short when the dishes filled again, this time with a large assortment of deserts. "Oh, this is better anyway."

After a time of voracious desert eating, the last crumbs disappeared and Dumbledore stood again to address the students. They were duly warned away from the Forbidden Forest ( "First chance I get, I'm going in there," Lily whispered), and from annoying the caretaker, Mr. Filch ("The name says it all," came from an older student at the Gryffindor table.) Dumbledore wished them all luck on the new school year, and the first years were gathered and ushered out of the Great Hall by the prefects.

Up multiple staircases and through hidden doors and tapestries, the Gryffindor common room was found. Too exhausted to talk much, Lily and Jenna stumbled up spiral staircases to their dormitories and collapsed into bed, barely introducing themselves to the other first year girls- Megan Woods and Sarah Matthews.

Jenna was quite impressed with what she could remember of the castle, having been scared out of her wits or mindlessly exhausted for the large part of her few hours there. The food was good, at least.

This is the time for Jedi mind tricks (wait let me check, nope, I'm not George Lucas, either. I really need to stop dreaming.) You want to review. You want to push that little button so much that you can feel it. Your pointer is moving toward it. You are typing letters, which form words, which form a message to me, the author of this little story. You are sending the review. You are feeling a sense of great accomplishment on this, the happy occurence of the fulfilment of your dreams. And I am feeling slightly tired, so please review so I can go to bed and stop thinking that I am people I am not and have powers that I don't.


	7. First Day of Class

Disclaimer: Must I do this again? I don't own anything. Not even my pen name, which was gotten from another book. I do, however, own the noisy bangles that are annoying me so much as I type this already annoying disclaimer. Jingle, jingle, jingle...

Chapter Seven: First Day of Classes

The next day at breakfast, Professor Dumbledore stood at the podium as he had the night before. "This year, we are trying something new with the first year students. You will all attend a short introductory class in each subject today. It is our hope that this will help each of you excel in your classes. The rest of the day will be yours to aquaint yourselves with each other and the castle. Your normal schedule, which will be given to you by your Head of House, will begin tomorrow. The schedule for the older students remains the same. Thank you." He sat and schedules were handed out as promised.

The first class was Potions, in a light, airy classroom on the second floor. It was taught by a young, attractive witch, Professor Salsa, in the absence of the usual teacher, Professor Slughorn. The latter teacher was taking a year off for his health. Professor Salsa's youth did not mean she was less passionate or responsible about her subject. She greeted the class thus: "Potions has long had a reputation for being one of the less respectable subjects, perhaps because of the many poisons available to be made. Or perhaps because it has always been taught in a dungeon. I hope that, in this year, I will be able to break down that stereotype a little and teach you something about my area of expertise."

She went on to describe some of the potions she would be teaching, an outline of the class, and her grading system. There were only a few non-Ravenclaw students taking note- James, Jenna, Lily, and another Gryffindor, Remus Lupin. Lily, however, gave up trying to keep up with Professor Salsa's fast speech halfway through the class.

After half an hour, the bell rang, sending the first years to the next introductory class, History of Magic. This class was taught by a very old, very dull man called Professor Binns. He droned on and on about the class aims and grading system. The same people were taking notes, except that Lily only got as far as writing the class name at the top of the paper. About five minutes into the class, Sirius interrupted Jenna by handing her a note asking her what the heck she was writing in. Jenna had a muggle-style notebook for each class, as did Lily. Both of them were shocked that Sirius had never seen one. Jenna said what it was, and Lily added that her handwriting was so bad on lined paper that she wasn't about to try unlined parchment. Sirius still thought that the notebooks were the funniest thing he'd ever seen. Lily smacked him with hers.

Following History of Magic was Charms. It was taught by a tall, rail thin man in his forties, named Professor Flitwick. He began the class by asking, "What is Charms? Miss Evans?"

Lily started at her name. "Er, changing something into something else?" Lily had barely glanced at her books before coming to the school, and so had gotten some things mixed up.

James rolled his eyes and raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Actually, Transfiguration is changing objects. Charms is manipulating the behavior of things." James didn't say this in a mean or snotty way, but Lily was still seething by the time his two sentences were over.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. I can see you read your materials." Professor Flitwick continued with the introduction to Charms.

A few minutes later, Lily handed a note to Jenna:

I will get him if it's the last thing I do. I will become the best in Charms. He won't know what hit him.

Jenna's reply:

Lily, don't get mad at him. He wasn't trying to be rude.

Lily wrote:

I don't care. He made me look stupid. He will pay.

Jenna didn't want two of her new friends to hate each other, so she wrote:

He can pay, but please act like you don't hate him? For my sake.

Lily replied:

You assume too much. I don't hate him. Yet. But if he keeps this up, I will. Hey, aren't you missing some important information?

Jenna hurriedly returned to her notebook. Lily wrote on the corner of the page, "I was just joking." Jenna mock-glared at her and she raised her hands in surrender.

The next class was Transfiguration. It was clearly James' favorite subject, as her appeared to have memorized the textbook. He answered all of Professor McGonagall's questions correctly and in more depth than was usually expected of a first year student. Lily glowered more and more with each question.

Finally the class was over and the first years went on to the next class. The crowd separated Lily and Jenna from the boys. As soon as they were out of hearing, Lily burst out, "I can't stand him! Who does he think he is, answering every question like that?"

Jenna tried to soothe her. "He just like the subject. It's not his fault."

It didn't work. "You don't have to rub it in."

"Lils-" They had arrived at the next class. Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology and finally Astronomy passed in much the same manner. Lily didn't forgive James for the slights given in Charms and Transfiguration, even though it didn't happen again.

Finally it was time for lunch and the first years were dismissed from Astronomy to enjoy the rest of the day.

Reviews make me happy. Honest. I sit in my little chair and smile when I see that message that says I have another review. Please make me happy. Because when I'm not, terrible things might happen.


	8. Flying Lessons

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE IN THIS STORY AS IT WAS CREATED BY THE WONDERFUL J.K ROWLING! Duh.

Chapter Eight: Flying Lessons

James and Sirius took it upon themselves to use the free time to teach Lily and Jenna how to fly. On broomsticks, of course, but the thought of leaving the ground terrified and excited Jenna. Lily was just excited.

They had to use school brooms, because first years weren't allowed to have their own. Sirius took great pains to assure the girls that, under normal circumstances, he would have brought his anyway, but as he had wrecked it just days before the start of term, he couldn't. He also showed off the large scrapes and bruises on various body parts that were souvenirs of the crash.

James was teaching Lily and Jenna the basics, because Sirius was too busy goofing off in the sky. "Stick your hand out over the broomstick, like this," he demonstrated, and say 'up!'" His broom jumped to his hand immediately. Lily's came up, too, after a moment. Jenna's rose halfway, decided it preferred the ground, and fell back down.

"Do it again, but more forcefully." Jenna did as instructed and was not very surprised when it simply rolled over and played dead. Very well. Nothing James suggested worked, as the broom apparently did not like to fly. Finally, James called Sirius down so he could help Jenna, while Sirius instructed Lily on mounting the broom and taking off.

Lily was flying quite well by the time Jenna managed to get the broom off the ground. James showed her how to hold the broom correctly and took her a little off the ground. And it's a good thing it was just a little, because Jenna promptly fell off.

"Try it again." James landed next to where Jenna sat, glaring at the broom. "Only this time..." He showed her what she was doing wrong and a few tricks to staying on the broom. Then he rose with her, one hand on her back to steady her. This time James stayed with Jenna, though he clearly wanted to be off playing with Sirius and Lily, who was a natural on the broom.

Jenna was getting more confidant on the broom and James was even taking her a little higher, when an owl landed on the front of her broom. It surprised her so much that she jumped and would have fallen, except James grabbed the back of her robes and kept her on the broom. He took a note from the owl and said "Here, I'll show you how to land."

They landed, and Jenna opened the note.

Miss Jenna Smith,

I request that you please spend a few minutes with me to discuss your introduction into Hogwarts. Please report tomy office promptly.

Professor McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"Hey, what's up?" Sirius and Lily landed on the grass. "Ooh, sent to McGonagall's office already, Jenna Grace? I'm impressed."

"I haven't done anything, though."

"That's what they all say. See you later, then." Sirius kicked off into the sky again.

"Have fun. I'll be back later." Jenna watched James and Lily take into the air after Sirius before setting off for the castle. She didn't know why she was singled out, above her three friends. Lily was Muggle-born as well. What she didn't know was that just minutes later, Lily got the same note. And went to the same fifteen minute meeting. With the same person.

When Jenna returned, only James and Sirius were flying over the immense lawn. They explained that Lily had been called to Professor McGonagall's office and they still had no idea how she could handle meeting all the new students, even only the Muggle-born ones. When Lily arrived just a few minute later, she didn't have an explanation, either, though she could have sworn she saw Professor McGonagall going the other direction in the hall.

There was time for more flying before dinner, and Jenna was able to get her broom up on the third try this time. And could fly alone, though slowly. One of the other three was always there to catch her if she fell, though. James and Sirius decided that since she couldn't fly very well, she probably shouldn't try to play on the House Quidditch team. Lily, on the other hand, might actually be in the running for that Catcher position, after a little more work. And first years usually didn't get on the teams. It had been more than ninety years since the last first year on any house team.


	9. Halloween

Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of this. I don't own it, nor am I receiving any sort of monetary reimbursement for my hard work, nor do I have crazed fans basing any sort of work off this story. Those joys belong to J.K Rowling, as she is the one who provided the inspiration for this undertaking.

Chapter Nine: Halloween

The next few weeks moved quickly for the new students. They adjusted to the school, with its moving staircases and disappearing doors, and soon knew the layout of the castle as well as anyone. The times that they got lost, as long as they didn't happen to choose a Slytherin for help, the older students were quite happy to point them out on the correct way, as they remembered those first weeks of losing themselves around the castle quite well.

The top of the class was never quite clear cut. James excelled in Transfiguration, while Lily was the best in Potions and Charms, due to her hard work to beat James in the latter and so exact her vengeance on him. Another Gryffindor, Remus Lupin, was top in most of the other subjects.

Lily, Sirius, James and Jenna became inseparable. Lily, true to her word, acted as if she tolerated James, even liked him sometimes. Jenna had to applaud her acting skills, because when they were alone, Lily ranted against James, about how hard it was to keep ahead of him in Charms. She thought James was pigheaded, egotistical, rude, a show-off... Jenna couldn't believe that he was any of those things.

In fact, Jenna started to love James. She loved him, even though it was clear that he thought of her as only a friend, or perhaps even the sister he never had. Jenna thought that he had fallen in love with Lily the day he had taught them how to fly.

Lily shared with James some things, like a love of Quidditch and of playing pranks. They did have a sort of friendship based on those points, but Lily still harbored a secret grudge against James.

Sirius and Lily, on the other hand, became fast friends. Often, the only reason Lily would handle James' presence was because of Sirius. Lily, Sirius, and James became partners in pranking. The victims in those early days were usually the other occupants of the boy's dormitory- Remus and Peter Pettigrew. Jenna would often help plan, but refused to help execute the plans.

Before they knew it, Halloween had approached. This was a big holiday for the wizarding school, and the staff went all out with decorations. The third years and older were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade. The younger students got the day off to do as they pleased.

Remus and Jenna chose the time to finish a potions project. They were just finishing when James, Sirius, and Lily came bounding down the stairs to the boy's dormitory. "We've made plans for tonight." Lily bounced onto the arm of Jenna's chair.

"There's the feast tonight, don't forget." Jenna reminded her energetic friend.

"We know. That's what makes it the perfect night to do it." Sirius claimed the other arm of the chair. James sat on the table and began swinging his legs energetically.

"So what are your big plans?" Jenna asked.

"We're going to explore the Forbidden Forest." Lily bounced up and down on the chair arm. She was obviously excited.

Jenna's mouth dropped open. "Are you insane!"

"Nope!" James grinned impishly.

"I don't know about Jamsie, but I'm not." Sirius answered with a grin of his own, and then was kicked in the shin by "Jamsie."

"But you can't go. The Forest is, well, forbidden."

"Don't be such a worry wart," Lily said at the same time as James replied, "Don't worry. We won't get caught."

"Why do you say that?" Jenna asked.

"Because I have a..." He gestured the others closer, so he could whisper, "an invisibility cloak."

The significance of this was lost on the girl, but Sirius was unable to keep his reaction to this revelation quiet. "Wicked! You have one of those and never told us? How could you do that to us?"

"Shh... They're not exactly allowed."

"Oh. Sorry." Sirius looked rightly chastened. "So you coming, Jenna Grace?"

"I don't think you should go, so no, I'm not." It sounded self-righteous, but Jenna wasn't about to get herself into trouble.

"Well." Sirius jumped up, followed closely by James and Lily. "See you later, then." He winked at Jenna as he climbed through the portrait hole.

Jenna and Remus sat in silence for a moment, until Jenna said, "Come on. We'd better go talk some sense into them."

"What could I do?" Remus protested, but followed Jenna out of the common room.

The two rushed down to the entrance hall, and Jenna was beginning to worry that they had missed the trouble makers when a voice was heard to say "Ouch! James!"

"Well, sorry Lily, but if your foot hadn't been in the way-"

"Terribly sorry, but there's not much room-"

"Shut up, you two. Do you want to give us away?"

Lily and James quit bickering, but Remus and Jenna were able to follow the invisible trio by the occasional scuffle and outburst of "Ouch!"

They followed the three under the cloak across the grounds, where the full moon bathed the tops of the looming forest with crystal light. Lily, Sirius and James appeared at the edge of the Forest, with Lily exclaiming, "Finally! It's so hard to breathe in there!"

"Lily! James!" Jenna broke into a run, with Remus following her. "Sirius!"

"Hah! So you did come!" James shouted. Jenna came to a stop before the three by sliding in a patch of mud and stopping at Sirius' feet.

"Nice one!" Sirius helped Jenna up. "Let's go in!" He sounded eager to go.

"No! We should go back-"

Jenna was interrupted by a long, drawn out howl. All five froze. Remus stared wide eyed into the depths of the forest. Two glinting eyes were visible in the light of the moon. "Wo-olf!" He gasped.

Remus' stuttering exclamation sent all scrambling for the nearest tree. Up it they swarmed, except for Remus. He was waiting anxiously for James' feet to vacate the lowest branch to he could climb out of reach when a rustle in the brush made him turn. He froze, hypnotized by the glowing orbs advancing on him. Time slowed as the wolf came closer... closer... closer... and lunged at the boy trapped at the bottom of the tree. As if under a strobe, the four in the tree watched Remus fall, wand slipping from his hand. The enormous wolf opened his jaws and shut them on Remus' shoulder, blood gushing from the wound.

An owl hooted in the distance, breaking the horrified trance that held Jenna. "Remus!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Lily clamped her hand over Jenna's mouth. "It'll hear you!" she hissed.

But it already had. It threw itself off Remus, and rather than ascend the tree as Lily had feared, it ran off, back into the dark forest. "Remus..." Jenna said again, scrambling out of the tree. "He's bleeding." The other three joined her beside the unconscious boy. "What do we do?"

"I don't know, but we'd better do it fast." Lily was still scared. "Before it comes back."

James was the first to regain some sense. "Do you think we can make him float?"

"Maybe all of us together." Jenna agreed and all four pulled out their wands. It was one of the first charms they had learned. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" they shouted together.

Remus was much heavier and harder to keep afloat than the feather they had practiced on in class, but together they managed to keep from dropping him all the way to the doors to the entrance hall. There, they sat him down as gently as possible, and James was sent running for help, while the others tried to keep from losing their minds from terror that the beast would return for the rest of his meal.

After what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes, James returned with Madame Pomfery, the school nurse, and a floating stretcher. Madame Pomfery was horrified. "Where you in the," her voice dropped to a whisper, "the _Forbidden Forest_!"

"Technically, no." James said.

Madame Pomfery asked no more questions, but loaded Remus onto the stretcher. "What bit him?"

"A gigantic wolf!" Sirius was quite spooked by the encounter.

"A wolf?" Madame Pomfery's eyes got as big as saucers. "And at full moon? Get the headmaster." James, the only one of the group who had most of his wits about him, took off in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

In James' absence, Madame Pomfery took Remus and the other three to the hospital wing, where she set Remus on a bed and gave the others Calming Draughts. She cleaned Remus' shoulder the best she could, but the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Finally James came with Professor Dumbledore. He checked out Remus and immediately proclaimed the bite to have come from a fully transformed werewolf. Remus would forever more transform into a horrible beast every month on the full moon.

Well, there it is. My take on how Remus became a werewolf. Now please review and tell me what you think!


	10. Parents of a Werewolf

Disclaimer: I don't own anything directly related to the Harry Potter world.

Chapter 10: Parents of a Werewolf

That night, a meeting was held in Dumbledore's office. A somber mood prevailed. Tension was high. Only two members of the staff were missing. Madame Pomfrey was tending to Remus and the others of the group, and Professor McGonagall had left to bring Remus' parents. A few of the staff members cried softly when the headmaster gave the announcement of the attack on Remus. Other than the occasional sniff, the office was silent, until Professor Binns spoke.

"We cannot allow him to remain at Hogwarts."

A momentary glint in Dumbledore's eye showed he was not pleased with Binns' prejudice. "I doubt you have the welfare of the other students in mind when you say that." His voice was hard and full of steel.

"But of course. He is now a danger to every human being in this school." Binns made a quick about face, sensing that to express his true opinion would seriously harm his standing with Dumbledore.

"There are precautions that can be taken to avoid such danger."

"At what cost? There is nowhere that he can go where he won't come in contact with humans." Binns voice rose, showing his true feelings on the matter.

"Your insinuation that Mr. Lupin is no longer human is incorrect." Dumbledore remained calm, though the hard look in his eye had returned.

"How is that so? I cannot see any humanity in a werewolf. They live to bring misery on the innocent, to prey off the lives of hardworking people. If this… _thing_ remains at Hogwarts, he will bring danger to us all."

Dumbledore stood, fury emanating from every line of his face. "You will not speak in such a way about my students. If you continue, you will leave my office and never return to this school."

Binns quieted, refusing to meet the eyes of any of his fellow teachers, and retreated to a dark corner of the office. Dumbledore sat again behind his desk.

"But what will we do with him every month?" Professor Salsa wasn't prejudiced, like her colleague. She was genuinely worried about her students.

"I have contacted some people to help us. The first transformation will not come for a month. This gives us some time to prepare." Dumbledore tapped his desk and a map of Hogwarts and the surrounding area appeared. "A place for Mr. Lupin's monthly transformation will be prepares here," he pointed to a spot equally distant from Hogwarts and the village. "A tunnel will be built from a point on the grounds to this place."

"How will he be protected while in this place?" Salsa asked.

"A number of wards, created by several members of our staff, will be in place, to prevent him from leaving and anyone else from leaving. I do not yet know how we will disguise the entrance to the tunnel. Are there any suggestions for this?"

A moment of silence, then the Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout, spoke. "There is a tree. You could call it a living tree. It won't allow anyone to pass. It could be placed over the entrance."

"Interesting. What is this tree called?"

"It is known as a Whomping Willow. But they are extremely rare and even more expensive."

"How might we procure one?"

"I have a friend who works with these trees. I can ask him to bring one to us."

"Yes, this might work. I hope I am correct in assuming that there is a way to force access?"

"Yes, each tree has a point, that if pushed, it will freeze."

"Excellent. Please tell your friend that we need one immediately."

"Certainly." Professor Sprout left to contact her friend.

Soon after her departure, the fire glowed green. Professor McGonagall stepped out, followed closely by Remus' parents. Both looked worried, Mrs. Lupin was clutching a handkerchief.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lupin. I'm glad you came, though it is with grave tidings I welcome you." Dumbledore conjured a pair of armchairs and gestured toward them. "Please sit."

They sat, Mrs. Lupin wiping her eyes.

"This evening, something terrible happened to your son." Dumbledore began, looking each of the newcomers in the eye. Mrs. Lupin let out a sob. "Remus, and several of his friends, decided to explore the Forbidden Forest. Just inside the Forest, he was attacked and bitten by a werewolf."

Silence followed this announcement, for a moment while it sank it. Then Mrs. Lupin screamed and fainted. Mr. Lupin stood, furious.

"My son was bitten by a werewolf! While under your care! Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that you were supposed to be protecting these children."

"Mr. Lupin, please sit. The circumstances were not entirely under our control." Dumbledore remained calm in the face of Lupin's fury.

"I WILL NOT SIT! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL!"

"You will sit, and cease yelling, while I explain, or I will force you to be silent." Lupin obeyed, faced with the threat of Dumbledore's wand. Dumbledore wakened Mrs. Lupin, as she needed to hear the full story as well. She cried throughout the entire explanation.

"Remus left the castle, accompanied by several other first year students, with plans to explore the Forbidden Forest. This is against the rules. It is impossible to protect our students entirely from the dangers of the Forest. This is why they are advised against entering and punished if they are caught doing so. This is the first documented time a werewolf has been seen in this Forest, especially so close to the school.

"This unfortunate event happened while the rest of the school was at the Halloween Feast. No one was present to protect these students, not even the groundskeeper.

"I do not yet have all the details of this outing, as the other students involved were too shaken up to tell the story, but I cannot imagine that Remus was involved directly in the plot to enter the Forest. Rather, I believe that he, along with one of the other students, was trying to prevent the others from entering. He is much too responsible to knowingly put his life in danger without such a reason."

The Lupins sat a moment, while this sank in. "Will you force him to leave the school?"

"Some of the staff members wish me to, but I cannot. This happened while he was under my care, and I will help him as much as possible to learn to live with this tragedy, and to live a productive life in spite of it. Unless you wish him to be under your eye at all times, he will attend the school while it is in session."

"What about the other students? Will they be told?"

"They were told at the feast that he was attacked, but not by what. They will not learn the entire truth, unless Remus tells them himself. I will not willfully allow one of my students to be shunned and ridiculed for something he can do nothing about."

"And there will be measures taken to ensure his safety every month?"

Dumbledore nodded his assent and detailed the plan that had just been made. It was acceptable to Lupin. Mrs. Lupin asked tearfully if she could see her son. They were led down to the Hospital Wing, where Remus lay, still unconscious. When Mrs. Lupin saw the wounds, still fresh, she nearly fainted again. Madame Pomfrey told them that there was no magical cure for werewolf bites. They would have to heal naturally, though kept clean by magical means.

The Lupins stayed with their son for the rest of the night. Mrs. Lupin refused to sleep and declined any refreshment offered. She was distraught that such a thing would happen to her child. Tears fell throughout that long night, even from her husband.

The next morning, Jenna, Lily, James and Sirius woke to Professor Dumbledore in the Hospital Wing. Neither looked very pleased.

"I hope you realize the gravity of your actions last night." Disappointment showed in Dumbledore's face. "You will each be punished with weekly detentions, with whichever staff member needs assistance, for the remainder of the term. Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor and if any of you are found entering the Forest again, you will be immediately expelled. Further, you will all help Mr. Lupin keep up on his studies, as his wounds prevent him from leaving the Hospital wing for several weeks.

"Going into the Forest was irresponsible and foolish. All of you could have been killed. One of your friends was marked for the rest of his life. There is no cure for werewolf bites, as I'm sure you know."

The four students refused to look Dumbledore, or each other, in the eye. Silence reigned for several minutes, as each of them realized the severity of the situation. Finally Lily spoke.

"How is he?"

"Mr. Lupin is still asleep. He will remain so for several more hours. Do not try to wake him. I will leave you for now. Stay here until I give you permission to leave." Dumbledore left, shutting the door softly behind him.

Silence followed Dumbledore's exit. Silence until lily started crying. "It's all my fault. It was my idea."

They were all thinking the same thing. James and Sirius for encouraging it, and Jenna for not stopping it soon enough. Jenna got up from her bed, and climbed into Lily's, putting her arms around the crying girl. A few moments later, the boys joined them, each taking strength from the others. No one spoke for a long time.

Please review! I like reviews!


	11. Remus

Disclaimer: You know, it would be nice to own this stuff. Unfortunately, the stars have not blessed me in such a way.

Chapter 11: Remus

Madame Pomfrey was worried. It wasn't fair that this little boy had to be cursed with lycanthropy. His entire life would be changed by the events of this one evening. It seems like such a little thing, this bite which in normal circumstances would be healed with just a wave of a wand and a few key words. Instead, the poor boy would suffer horribly with every full moon, which would force him to change into an evil beast.

She was worried, because this would cause Remus to be shunned and hated by the wizarding world. He would never be able to be part of society, once his secret was known.

She was worried because his parents had left before he awoke. She was worried that they would be hard pressed to accept him as their son, now that he was so different from them.

She was worried, because she would have to tell him. She would have to tell him that he had no hope for a normal life, that every month he would go through a trial worse than anything anyone could imagine.

She was worried, that he might find, one day, that he had cursed another in the same way.

Remus was dreaming. Dreams with more detail, and more reality than any he had ever had. Dreams of running, faster than the wind. Dreams of four paws and a tail, working in perfect unison. Dreams that weren't so kind- pain, writhing on the ground, watching hair sprout from his hands. Chasing after something, something that he would never catch.

In these dreams, he knew. He knew he was a wolf. It was inside him, always haunting him, taking him over with the full moon.

Finally Remus woke up. Madame Pomfrey was in a chair next to his bed, dozing lightly. He looked around the private room for a moment before clearing his throat, waking the sleeping nurse. "It was a werewolf, wasn't it."

At that statement, Madame Pomfrey's eyes filled with tears. That was answer enough for Remus. "So I'm a werewolf now."

"Yes." Madame Pomfrey couldn't manage much more than a whisper.

"That's going to make my life interesting." Remus sat back among his pillows, stretching and placing his hands behind his head.

"My dear boy-" the nurse started.

"I already knew. I dreamt… I dreamt that I was a werewolf. Don't feel sorry for me. That won't change anything. Please leave me alone."

"If that's how you want it…" Madame Pomfrey was surprised by the matter of fact way Remus approached the subject. She left, casting one last glance at the boy on the bed. He was staring at the ceiling, not scared or worried, just accepting of the fact, of how his life was going to change.

Meals were brought to the Hospital wing for the five that day. Remus had refused visitors for most of the day, allowing only Madame Pomfrey to change his bandages, and Professor Dumbledore who demanded entrance. He stayed only a few minutes, talking to Remus, about this change. He lay silent for the rest of the day.

The four in the general area of the Hospital Wing remained uncharacteristically quiet. Toward the evening, they got permission from Madame Pomfrey to visit Remus. They entered the room, quiet and subdued. Lily and Jenna cried softly. James and Sirius remained silent, watching Remus, who returned to staring at the ceiling after greeting them. Finally James broke the silence. "Can you ever forgive us?"

Remus shifted his gaze to the boy at the foot of his bed, meeting his eyes for the first time. His eyes moved to each of the four, then back to James. "I already have."

With those words, he sealed a friendship that would last throughout the school years and through many different trials in the years past.

James, Sirius, Lily and Jenna stayed in Remus' room for many hours that night. They talked, mostly about the events of the previous night and how it would change all five of them, but especially Remus. They came up with plans on how to help him, even laughed at the absurdity of some, mostly contributed by Sirius. From that night on, the five would have a bond intricately tying them together for the rest of their lives.

Review please! I like knowing if people like this story. But unfortunately, I have had very few people give me feedback of any sort. So please let me know what you think.


	12. The First Month

Disclaimer: If I was JK Rowling, this story would be a whole heck of a lot better, and might actually get some reviews...

Chapter Twelve: The First Month

The month that followed was stressful for the group. Remus stayed in the Hospital Wing, his shoulder slowly healing. Lily, James, Sirius and Jenna continued feeling guilty for their actions, but not so guilty that they swore off pranks altogether. They helped him with his school work, and kept him company even when there was none. The friendship between the five grew.

The four served their weekly detentions, usually a mind-numbing or disgustingly hard task. One memorable occasion found them with the groundskeeper, Hagrid, the giant man who had led the first years across the lake.

"Yeh'll be de-grubbing my tomatoes." Hagrid showed them the plants, which were infested with hundreds of the little worms. Jenna was slightly revolted at the sight of so many wiggly, pale grey creatures. "Don't let 'em back onto the plants. When yer finished, I'll take care of the baskets."

He gave them baskets and they set to work.

Fifteen minutes showed how dull the task was, for the boys anyway. Lily was nervous about being so close to the Forest, and Jenna hated touching the grubs. So James and Sirius found a way to amuse themselves.

"I bet you I could eat it." Sirius held up a pale, wiggling grub.

"Yeah, right. You'll get sick." James answered, in a tone that actually encouraged his friend.

With a grimace, Sirius actually put the worm in his mouth and, nearly gagging, swallowed it whole. "Hah. I did it." He looked a little green. "I win."

"Not if I can do better!" James held up two worms, opened his mouth, and popped them in. He gagged. "Ugh!" But he managed to swallow.

"Oh, yeah? I bet I can eat more than you!" Sirius challenged. So they began, eating grub after slimy, wriggly grub. When Lily saw what they were doing, she began cheering each on in turn. Jenna nearly vomited.

Hagrid looked out the window of his cottage, to see why they were making so much noise. "Yeh know, them worms are better fried. Nice an' crispy."

The four exchanged looks that said, quite clearly, "This man is insane." The look was followed by Sirius quickly turning a most interesting shade of green, and emptying the contents of his stomach.

"I think yeh'd better get 'im to the Hospital wing."

With Hagrid's recommendation, and with Lily supporting him, Sirius went off to see Madame Pomfrey. James and Jenna followed behind.

Madame Pomfrey tut-tutted the appropriate amount for a foolish boy eating parasites, but administered medicines to calm Sirius' stomach. When the four told Remus about the culinary aspect of the detention, all five got a good laugh.

The end of the month, and the date of Remus' first transformation, came much more quickly than he would have liked. The full moon was set to come on the 28th of November. The week preceding it, Madame Pomfrey declared Remus' shoulder healed enough that he could leave the Hospital Wing, as long as he was careful.

During this week, especially the last several days, Remus started looking more and more scared. Most of his classmates didn't know why he was increasingly pale and more withdrawn than usual. They attributed it to his newly recovered wound. The school had been told that Remus had been injured, but no one knew by what. Nor did they know the true reason for the newly planted Whomping Willow, a rare specimen that was supposedly for study by Professor Sprout, who taught Herbology.

His friends knew. And they worried with him. None of them knew what it would be like to transform into a wolf. Remus had a small idea, from his dreams right after the attack, but that idea scared him more. As nightfall approached, Madame Pomfrey came to lead him to the newly installed Whomping Willow. A long pole enabled her to freeze the vicious tree, and Remus entered the tunnel, leading to a newly built, two story house.

Remus' four friends knew that it would be a painful, scary night for Remus. He had told them what his dreams had told him. After bidding him goodnight, the four retreated to the boy's dormitory. After evicting Peter, they sat on two of the beds, and drew comfort from each other, like they had in the Hospital Wing. The subject of somehow helping Remus was brought up again, as it had several times that month.

During the month, the four had read as much about werewolves as they could find in the library. Nowhere was there any reference to any spell or potion that could tame a werewolf. The closest that they could find was, repeated in several books, a statement that said a werewolf would not harm animals, only humans.

Their discussions always came back to this point. Professor McGonagall had told the students about Animagi, wizards that could turn into animals without a wand or a spoken word. They were extremely rare, because this was so difficult to accomplish.

"I wonder if werewolves don't hurt Animagi." That point always came up, too, this time said by Jenna.

"I don't think they would. I think this is our best chance." James answered.

"We should try." The full moon gave Lily the incentive needed to give the final decision.

The other three were in agreement.

"But how do we find out how to do it?" Jenna asked.

"I'm sure there's a book in the restricted section of the library." The section James named was full of books of a dangerous nature, with the most difficult spells and potions. The section was always roped off and poorly lit.

"What! Are you insane?" Jenna was still careful about breaking the rules, perhaps even more so since Halloween.

"Well, are we going to do this or not? We have to go in there if we're going to help Remus." James stood up and started pacing the room. "This whole thing was all our fault. We have to do our best to help him get through this. This is the only way we can. I'm doing it. Who's with me?"

"I am!" Sirius stood.

"I am, too." Lily agreed.

"I'll try, but you know I'm not very good in Transfiguration." Jenna was a little more hesitant.

"We'll have to work together. We won't be able to do this otherwise."

Four people just did not fit under James' invisibility cloak, despite Jenna's small size. The boys more than made up for that. That made the midnight trek to the library more difficult. Lily went ahead under the cloak to provide a lookout. The others followed, listening carefully for a warning if someone was coming.

There was only one tense spot in the journey. A ghost popped out of the wall in front of the three following. Having no warning, Jenna jumped and would have yelled if James hadn't clapped his hand over her mouth. "Sh!"

The ghost saw them, but winked and said, "I remember nighttime wanderings at Hogwarts. Go carefully," and left as quickly as he had appeared.

"Whew. That was close." James whispered.

The rest of the journey was accomplished quickly and quietly. Lily took the cloak off at the doors to the library and they entered.

The restricted section was at the back of the library. The room was dark and spooky at night, though one of Jenna's favorite places during the day. Black bookcases rose out of the gloom, silhouetted by the full moon sneaking in the tall windows. The windows to the library were on the north side of the castle, so not much light came in.

"_Lumos_," Each of the four illuminated their wand, as there was now little chance of being caught by Mr. Filch. They crept down the aisles, making little noise, since each sound echoed and was magnified by the dark room, which increased the spooky-ness of the library. Finally, they reached the velvet rope designated the restricted section and slid under it. Except for Sirius, who vaulted over it.

"Okay, each of you take a section." James instructed quietly.

The four spread out and begun searching for any book that might mention Animagi. Several minutes later, Sirius called the rest over. "Look at this." He pointed to a page in the book he held.

"Sirius. We're looking for books on Animagi. Not maps." Lily reminded him, none too gently.

"Yeah, I know. But this would come in handy."

"Why?" Lily replied acridly.

"Think about it… a map that would show the entire castle… and the people in it…" James had caught on with Sirius' thought.

"Do you think it would be hard?" Jenna asked.

"I don't know. Ask Lily. She's best in Charm," Sirius answered.

"Let me see." Lily took the book from Sirius and read the page. "I don't think so. The charm looks simple enough. All we need is a map."

"We can get that from _Hogwarts: A History_." James left the restricted section to find the book.

He returned a few minutes later, opening the book to the front page, which had a detailed map of the castle. Sirius took the book and started ripping the page out.

"No! You can't do that!" Jenna was horrified. "Just copy it."

"Do you have a piece of parchment?" James asked.

"Oh, I do." Lily took a folded piece out of her back pocket. Sirius took it, preformed a simple copying spell, and gave it back to Lily.

"Next we have to do this charm on it." She followed the direction carefully, but the first time it didn't work, just emitted a faint orange light. "Okay, try again." This time it worked. A little dot appeared in the library, labeled with four names: Lily Evans, Jenna Smith, Sirius Black and James Potter. A quick perusal of the modified map showed that Madame Pomfrey was, naturally, in the Hospital wing, Hagrid was in his garden, and Filch was patrolling the dungeons.

"Excellent," Sirius breathed.

"Wait, there's more." Lily had looked further in the book. "We can make it show hidden passages, and we can make it appear only when we want."

"Cool!"

Lily performed the first spell without a problem, carefully following the instructions. A few more halls appeared, drawn on as if with an invisible quill.

"What should we call it?"

"Um, how about 'The Secret Map?'" Sirius suggested.

"Uh, how 'bout not. I like 'The Magnificent Creation by the Magnificent Four.'" Lily answered.

"What about Remus? I think 'The Marauders' Map' is good." James said.

"Yeah, I like that." Sirius responded.

"So, I guess we're the Marauders?" Jenna asked.

"Yep. Good description, don't you think?" James answered.

"The Marauders' Map' it is."

"Wait, before you finish." Sirius stopped Lily. "I think we should have like an introduction."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, like maybe we should have code names or something."

"Like yours would be 'Biggest Git to Ever Walk the Planet?'" Lily grinned.

"And yours would be "Snot Queen of the Universe?"

"Um, good idea, but let's wait on it. We can do our Animagus forms." James stopped Lily and Sirius. Their little matches of wit could turn ugly sometimes.

"If we can do it."

"Don't be so pessimistic, Jenna Grace. We'll do it." James gently rebuked her for her lack of faith in Lily's abilities.

Lily preformed the final spells. "Okay, to use it, you say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," and when you're done, say 'Mischief Managed.'"

"Cool. Let's try it." Sirius was eager to play with their new toy. "Let's use some of the passages to get back to the dormitories."

On the way back up, they didn't need to have a lookout, as the newly christened Marauders' Map told them when someone was near, and they could duck into a nearby classroom, or take one of the newly found hallways. Halfway there, however, James remembered something.

"We never found anything on Animagi!"

Lily sighed. "Oh, well. Next month."

The four now had plans for every full moon. When Remus went to the Whomping Willow, they would sneak to the library, aided by the map, and look for anything and everything on Animagi. The second full moon they were successful. The book, "Human Transformations," was taken from the library and hidden at the bottom of Lily's trunk. Every month, they would meet in the boys' dormitory, and work on becoming Animagi. It was hard work. The spells involved were far above their level. But they steadfastly continued working on it, determined to do this for their friend.

They never told Remus. It would be a surprise for him when they finally accomplished it.

You know, I find it interesting that my stats say that only one person has read chapter 8, but more than twenty have each of the following chapters. And very few have reviewed!

Note added April 22, 2007- Okay, I need some advice from any readers out there, as I am still suffering from a lack of a beta... I just re-read PoA, and found some bits that made my scene for the creation of the map very non-cannon. I want to re-write it, taking the map out of this chapter and putting it in it's proper place, somewhere after fifth year. Unfortunately, I kind of like this scene. I don't know why, but it pains me to just delete it, and I don't really know what to put in it's place. So, please tell me which you would prefer, and I'll figure something out. And, I could really use a beta, if anyone's interested...

In unrelated matters, Christmas music in April is possibly the most annoying thing I've ever been forced to endure... And I'm not speaking to the weather... and I'm sorry for this mega-note, but my network's going screwy and I can't navigate away from this page until it decides to behave. I think the storm has done something to the connection...


	13. The Next Day

Disclaimer: Really people. I would think you were smarter than this. I've only said it five thousand times before. I don't own this stuff.

Chapter Thirteen: The Next Day

"It was the worst night of my life." Remus was in the Hospital wing again after the full moon. His friends had come to see him, skipping their first class to do so. "It hurt so much. The transformation, being stuck in that shack, everything."

"Remus… I'm so sorry…" Lily's eyes were filled with tears. She, as well as the others, still felt guilty for causing Remus' lycanthropy.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." Remus tried to comfort her.

"Actually, it is." A tear fell from one eye. James put his arm around Lily's shoulders.

"Not really. I didn't have to come that night."

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I made you come." Jenna wasn't one for crying, but she felt at least as bad as Lily did.

"You guys. It's okay. I can deal with it. I know that I can get through a full moon now. That was my only worry- that I might die out there. But that's really a dumb thing to worry about. Nothing with a brain will try to confront a werewolf." Remus smiled. "It's not so bad. If I could get out it would be better."

"Why is that?" Jenna asked.

"There are good parts, believe it or not." Remus looked a little more alive now. Before, he had been tired and out of energy. Now there was a spark in his eye. "I want to be able to run. In my dreams, I can run so fast… And I can smell everything so well. Really, I can live with this."

"But is there anything we can do for you?" James asked.

"Well…" Remus grinned. "You could bring me some breakfast."

"Last night, we were in the library." James had called a meeting of the newly christened Marauders in the boys' dormitory, to show the map to Remus. They couldn't show it to him in the Hospital wing, since Madame Pomfrey was hovering around him, checking on him every five minutes. Remus was finally able to leave, after he promised to return if he felt the least bit tired or ill. "Sirius found this book that showed us how to make something extraordinary."

"Yep, it was all my idea!" Sirius was quite proud that he had started the map.

"Cool it, James was talking." Lily smacked Sirius.

"Wait, all four of you were in the library?" Remus was skeptical.

"Yes." James looked impatient.

"Doing what?"

"Uh… studying, what else?" James had to cover their real object in going to the library.

"Sirius was studying?"

"Okay, the rest of us were studying and Sirius found this book."

"I still don't believe you managed to get him in there."

"We promised him sugar." Lily supplied.

"Lots and lots of sugar," Sirius added.

"Oh, okay. That might work."

"Anyway," James said loudly. "Lily charmed a simple piece of parchment to be this!" He unfolded the map with a flourish.

"Um, it still looks like a simple piece of parchment."

"That's because you haven't seen the real beauty of this masterpiece. Lily, care to do the honors?" James held out the parchment to her.

She pulled out her wand and tapped the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

As if it was being drawn with a multitude of invisible quills, the map of Hogwarts spread across the surface. Little flags unfurled, marking many black dots with names. The legend, "The Marauder's Map," graced the top in large elaborate lettering.

"Wow." Remus took the map. "You did this, Lils?"

"Yeah, she's quite good in Charms, if you haven't noticed."

Lily nearly blushed at James' praise. It didn't happen often. "They weren't hard spells."

"So this map shows all of Hogwarts?"

"And the grounds," Jenna added.

"And the secret passages," Lily put in.

"And the kitchens," Sirius made his comment. That was possibly his favorite thing about it. He had already been there twice. The house elves now knew him by name and his favorite flavor of ice-cream.

"Awesome."

Remus went back to class the next day. Despite his long hiatus in the Hospital the month before and spending the night as a werewolf, he was just as on top of the school work as always. His classmates wondered where he had been the day before, but figured it was just something to do with his wounds. They still wouldn't know about the werewolf, and, Remus hoped, they never would.

Review please! I'll give you cookies! Or something. Maybe. If I get a lot of nice reviews.


	14. Christmas to Summer

Disclaimer: It isn't mine. Obviously.

…………………………

Chapter Fourteen: Christmas to Summer

Christmas came quickly. Snow fell almost nightly, keeping the grounds covered in a pure white powder. The lake froze, providing the perfect surface for ice-skating. The trees in the Forest were dusted with snow crystals, shimmering on the days the sky cleared and the sun shone brilliantly, though without warmth. Hogwarts was, in short, a winter wonderland.

One bitterly cold day in mid December found the Marauders- minus Jenna and Remus, who were in the library studying for end of term exams- hiding behind a statue in the gardens, waiting for an unwary victim for their latest plan. Unfortunately, Lily kept elbowing Sirius, who would yelp every time.

"Would you two stop?! You're giving us away!" James snapped irritably as yet another sixth year gave the first years crouching in the snow an odd glance, as there was no evidence of any reason for then to be there.

"Shut up yourself! Here comes Snivelly." Sirius' eyes eagerly followed the scrawny boy as he approached.

"Excellent," Lily breathed. She was still smarting over an incident the day before that had left her with half of her bright red hair missing after a particularly nasty double Transfiguration lesson with the Slytherins. "I think scarlet would be a good color for him."

"No, I have a better idea." Snape was about ten yards from the trio now. James quickly made a snowball and laid a few charms on it so that the snow would dye whatever portion of him that was hit a bright fluorescent pink. They had studied color charms that week and were eager to try them out.

Snape didn't see or hear them, as he had his nose buried in a book, "probably some awful curse book," James said in an undertone to the other two.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Lily whispered and sent the frozen missile straight into Snape's face. The book flew into the air and landed about five feet from the three hidden behind the statue. Snape swore and spun in a circle, trying to see who had thrown it, but since the snow was effectively covering his eyes, all he could see was a fuchsia blur.

By the time he had wiped his eyes off, James, Sirius and Lily had taken off running for the castle, taking Snape's book with them. Behind them, they could hear Snape yelling and cursing about everything imaginable, from Mudbloods- he had caught a glimpse of Lily's telltale hair- to snow to the color pink.

The three, who were by now quite cold and wet from kneeling in the snow for so long, joined Remus and Jenna in the Great Hall for a late lunch.

"Look at this book!" Lily opened the book. "This isn't stuff that we'd learn for years!"

"I guess Snivellus does have a brain on him." James started filling his plate with whatever food items were closest. "For curses, anyway," he added darkly.

"So, the term's almost over." Jenna quickly brought the others back to reality from imagining Snape's reaction if they were to try some of the curses on him. "Have you guys even studied a little yet?"

"Yeah, of course I have." James looked a little insulted that Jenna would think that he would completely abandon any scholarly application. He in fact had been studying every night for the last week.

"Well, I didn't really mean you." Jenna looked meaningfully at Lily and Sirius, who were deep in a competition to see who could drink their pumpkin juice faster. And more of it. Lily choked at the look from her friend.

Sirius, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of any untoward happenings. "Hah! I win!" He slammed the goblet back on the table. "What?" He asked at the expression on Jenna's face.

"Have you even opened a book in the last month?"

"No. Why would I?"

"Um, let's see, we have exams next week?" Jenna could be quite sarcastic at times, and this was one of them.

"Pshaw. I've got those handled."

"How, might I ask?" At the sparks flying from Jenna's eyes, the other three glanced at each other, came to an unspoken agreement, scooted down the bench a few feet, leaving Sirius and Jenna alone for yet another round of this argument. It could get nasty, but almost always ended in Sirius looking over his notes for at least fifteen minutes while Jenna stood over him, making sure his attention didn't wander.

"A simple spell that will let me see the truth in all things."

"Unbelievable. You'll learn any spell that will help you cheat, but you refuse to learn any that might actually be beneficial?"

"This is beneficial. Now I don't have to study."

"You do know that they won't let you use it?"

"How will they know?"

Jenna was prevented from answering by a burst of laughter that echoed around the entire hall. Snape had just entered the Great Hall. As if he didn't know the condition his face was in, he sat, unconcernedly at the Slytherin table. The Marauders intently watched every move their victim made.

Snape started eating, but then realized that he has the object of every conversation along the Slytherin table and throughout the entire Hall. He caught another first year Slytherin staring at him. "What?!" He snapped. The other boy pointed at his face. Snape finally caught sight of himself in the reflective surface of his goblet. His face quickly turned red with fury, darkening the bright pink hue of his face to magenta.

He stood up so quickly that he knocked his plate flying and strode angrily to the Gryffindor table.

"Uh-oh," Sirius muttered.

"Quick! Escape!" James led the way through a concealed door on the other side of the Gryffindor table. Lily and Sirius, who were sitting across the table, vaulted over it, nearly knocking down Jenna in the process. They all made it safely through the door, which slammed shut in Snape's face.

"Come on! Through here." Sirius took charge now, leading the Marauders through a door, around a corner, down a flight of stairs, around another corner and skid to a stop before a large picture of a bowl of fruit.

Tickling the pear allowed them to enter the kitchen and safety. The map, and repeated excursions to the kitchens, had given Sirius all the knowledge he needed to get there from any place in the castle.

"Whew! That was close." Lily wiped sweat from her face and collapsed on one of the tables, identical to those upstairs.

"What did you do to him?!?" Jenna was a little irritated, first at Sirius being so obstinate, and then at being pulled away from her lunch and through the castle. She was used to the pranks her three more wild friends played, and even joined in on occasion, but today was not one of those days. A thimble had refused to transfigure into a needle earlier, and she was in a very black mood.

"James did it." Sirius was quick to point a finger at someone else.

"Whatever. It was your idea." Lily accused.

"Ugh!" Jenna exploded. "I have had enough of you three today! Would you just tell me what you did?!"

James quickly explained, and the three got Remus and even Jenna laughing at his re-enactment of the ridiculous reaction Snape had to the snowball in his face. A little dessert from the kind house elves didn't hurt, either.

"When do you figure it'll be safe to come out?" Lily asked.

"Don't know." James pulled the map out of his pocket, and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"Moron." Sirius muttered waspishly. Snape was standing outside the door to the kitchen, but didn't know how to open the door. "I guess we're stuck in here until he gets bored and goes away."

They were actually stuck in the kitchen for several hours. "Snape could really hold a grudge," as Lily put it.

"Guys, I don't want to go home for Christmas." Sirius had gotten uncharacteristically solemn during the last round of mint hot chocolate.

"Good heavens, why?" Jenna couldn't imagine not wanting to see family at Christmas. She was looking forward so much to going home, older sister notwithstanding.

"My family isn't exactly full of the holiday spirit if you know what I mean." Sirius glared into his half full mug. "Bunch of slimy gits, they are." He slammed it down on the table, sending droplets of cocoa flying onto the table. "You know, they wanted to disown me. After the Sorting. I still don't know why they didn't. I'm afraid to find out."

"Mate, just come to my place. You know my mum won't mind." James offered.

"Maybe… But my mother would probably send a Howler. _'How could you desert your family?! Not only do you defame your pure blood by associating with those blood traitors and mudbloods, but then you refuse to show any small amount of loyalty you have left!'_" Sirius mimicked his mother's voice, a look of pure disgust on his face.

"Stay at Hogwarts, then." Lily reached across Sirius to the plate of treats the house elves had put out.

"Alone, with Snape? I don't think so."

"Anyway, while we're on the subject and Sirius is being rather depressing, what are you doing for holidays, Remus?" James changed the topic, or at least the subject of questioning.

"Well, I have this sneaking suspicion that my vacation will be as bad as Sirius'. Full moon is Boxing Day."

"Are you going home or staying here?" Jenna asked.

"Staying. My parents haven't made 'arrangements' for my 'situation.' So I'm staying here. Same as last month."

"That's tough. I think your vacation wins the prize, Remus. I've just got a rotten sister." Lily grimaced.

"What about you, Jenna? Any reason you don't want to go home?" James took a sip from his cocoa, kept magically warm by the mug.

"Just my sister, same as Lily."

"I don't really care either way. My parents are cool with whatever I want."

"Hey! I know! Let's all stay here!" Sirius perked up for the first time since he began the conversation. "Then I don't have to see my rotten family, Lily and Jenna don't have to deal with their sisters and Remus will have company for Christmas! It's perfect!"

"Um… Actually I want to go home." Jenna said quietly.

"Ew. Why? Your sister's as bad as mine, from what you've said."

"But Lena isn't. And I would like to see my parents."

"You're such a good girl." James said, causing Jenna to turn scarlet.

"I prefer the term brown noser." Lily grinned impishly at her best friend. Jenna threw the remains of a gingerbread man at her.

Which caused Sirius to toss a piece of pudding pie at James. Who retaliated with a handful of marshmallows at Lily. Which led to an all out food fight. Even Jenna was laughing and looking like she was having the time of her life.

Five minutes later, Sirius froze mid throw. "Everybody freeze!! I just got the best idea!!"

A quick huddle ensued, whisperings and giggles escaping from the circle of five friends. James took charge after Sirius explained his brainstorm. "Okay, great! One, two, THREE!"

On three, all five grabbed the nearest platter and hurled themselves toward the door. "Hy-yah!" Sirius screamed, throwing the door open. Four of the five serving dishes were launched at a very shocked Snape. Unsurprisingly, Jenna's lemon meringue pie was the one that didn't immediately find itself covering some portion of Snape's robes. What she did next shocked and amazed all present. Fire sparking from her blue eyes, she shoved the pie right into his face.

"That is for my best friend. Don't you ever, _ever_, call her that name again." Jenna turned on her heel and ran off after the others.

High fives and exclamations of "Yeah, Grace!" and "You go, girl!" and even a "We'll make a rule breaker of you yet!"- the last from Sirius- ensued when she caught up with the group.

"He insulted one of my friends. _Nobody_ does that. _Ever_."

……………………………

And so Jenna became the one that people knew to stay away from when she had a scowl on her face. For the most part, she was calm and considerate, but she knew how to retaliate and hold a grudge. Lily, by contrast, could be upset by the smallest thing, but everyone knew that, when she was angry, chances were that five minutes later, she'd be laughing and talking as if nothing had happened. Jenna's moods could last for as long as a week.

……………………………

End of term exams were passed by everyone. Even Sirius managed, though he was denied the use of his cheating spell.

Christmas vacation didn't go according to Sirius' plan. He was the only one who stayed at Hogwarts with Remus, though the rest returned early for the full moon. They, of course, didn't tell their parents the real reason they went back to school early. Plans to become illegal Animagi and a friend who was a werewolf wouldn't have sat well with the various parents.

An applicable book, "_Human Transfiguration: of Self and Others_" was found on that second full moon. Ever month thereafter was spent in the boys' dormitory, from which Peter Pettigrew was ejected- by force or dungbombs if necessary- practicing the techniques needed for a full Animagus form. The introduction to "_Human Transfiguration_" stated that it usually took a full wizard a year, and up to two, for this feat. The amount of concentration required was the hardest part, so these monthly sessions were spent in mental exercises to gain mastery over the mind.

The extra practice put the four firmly in the lead of the Transfiguration class. Remus couldn't understand how all of them were suddenly so good in a subject that formerly only James had excelled in. They wouldn't tell him, of course. Though Remus would probably have been able to help them, this was their way to atone for the part they had played in his lycanthropy.

The rest of the year passed- pranks, occasional study time, forced by Jenna and James, and the full moon spent in practice by the four, and, for Remus, in the Shrieking Shack, as the place Remus went each month was quickly dubbed by the villagers of Hogsmeade and thus by the older students who were allowed to visit the village. An apt description, according to Remus, as his transformation could be rather painful.

The end of the term came. Exams were passed and plans made to gather at the Potter mansion often gave the Marauders hope for what otherwise would have been a miserable summer break.

Despite these plans, goodbyes were still hard, as they always were. The five Marauders parted at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, with a final round of high fives and a few sneaking tears on the part of Jenna, though these were quickly wiped away.

…………………………

Yeah, I skipped quite a bit. But honestly, I was getting tired of first year. It only took me about four tries to get this chapter finished- the stupid computer kept deleting the couple paragraphs. So, anyway, here it is, finally, and please review!!


	15. Second Year Begins

Disclaimer: It is so not mine. Obviously.

Chapter 15: Second Year Begins

The summer before second year was a long one for Jenna and Lily, as well as the rest of the Marauders. They had fallen in love with Hogwarts, and horrible as it may sound, they would rather be there than with their families, especially Lily. Sirius spent most of his time at James' house, so he didn't have to deal with his family much.

Jenna was delighted to see Lena again. The now seven year old was even more excited to follow in her beloved older sister's footsteps, thanks to weekly letters from Jenna, telling her about the school and all the magic she was learning. The two sisters renewed their bond and were nearly inseparable during the summer.

Lena was the best part of Jenna's summer. Renae was just as disgusted with Jenna's magic as she had at the beginning, and her parents, though proud of her abilities, didn't understand her very well. The result was that they were rather distant from their second daughter.

Jenna and Lily kept in touch with nearly constant letters. Lily's parents were quite fascinated by the magical world and asked Lily constant questions. Lily got very annoyed by that very quickly. Her sister, Petunia, was just as bad as Renae, if not worse. It was suggested more than once that the two older sisters should be sent off somewhere very far away together.

Jenna wrote to the boys as well. Lily wrote to Remus and Sirius, but didn't write to James much at all. The five of them got together at James' mansion several times, mostly to escape their families.

Sirius' summer wasn't exactly fun, either. He spent most of his time at James', as his family, especially his mother, refused to accept that not only was her son not in Slytherin, but was, in fact, a _Gryffindor_.

Remus tried to escape his parents as much as possible as well, since they had become overprotective of him and felt guilty that they hadn't wanted him home for Christmas. His "furry little problem," as James had taken to calling his lycanthropy, just made his summer that much worse.

The Potter mansion became the haven for the group. His parents were very kind, though Mr. Potter was often at work. Mrs. Potter always made sure they had wonderful snacks and didn't mind that they often spent hours in the field behind the house, playing Quidditch, or in Jenna's case, practicing flying and trying very hard not to fall off the broom stick.

At the end of July, the letters for the second year came. It was decided that they would meet at the Leaky Cauldron the next day. James' mother gave the girls driving instructions, while Sirius went on and on in the background about how dangerous Muggle travel was.

Despite the dangers apparent in the road system, both girls arrived in one piece to meet three slightly sooty boys and Mrs. Potter, who was supervising the trip. Greetings were exchanged, which resulted in Sirius knocking Lily into the unlit fireplace, adding one more sooty member to the group.

Mrs. Potter ushered them all out to the back of "that stinky, smoky, horrible place," and led them through the brick archway that appeared as she tapped the appropriate block with her wand.

Gringotts was the first stop, of course. Jenna finally got to ride one of those "infernal carts," as Professor McGonagall had called then the year before. In fact, all six members of the party, plus a goblin, crammed into one cart.

The ride was as thrilling, just as Jenna had anticipated last year, with the added bonus of getting to watch Sirius' face to steadily turn more and more green, until it rivaled Lily's eyes, thanks to the large amount of sweets he and James had eaten already that morning. James, on the other hand, seemed to be made of much tougher stuff, and looked delighted at the prospect of poking fun at his best friend that he couldn't stomach even a simple ride down to the under ground vaults. Mrs. Potter didn't look too thrilled with the ride, either.

However, Sirius managed somehow to keep his stomach in place, and the ride back up to ground level was uneventful. He recovered as soon as he set foot on firm ground once more and joined James in cajoling Mrs. Potter to allow the Marauders to go off and do their own shopping.

"Please, Mum, could we please go?" James knew his mother well enough that he could take advantage of her weakened state, thanks to the wild ride under the bank.

"Well-" Even with her wits scattered by the cart ride, Mrs. Potter's mothering instincts were still strong enough that she was hesitant.

"Please? We'll stick together. And Jenna won't let us do anything illegal or anything." Sirius joined in.

"Well… I suppose. I would like to sit down for a few minutes. Meet me at Fortenesque's at three o'clock. Be safe; use your brains; and no more sweets, James and Sirius!"

"Okay! Thanks! See you then!" The five ran off before Mrs. Potter could give any more restrictions.

"So! What first?" Lily asked, excited to be out of her house and back in the wizarding world. She linked arms with Jenna and Sirius, who grabbed James. Remus took Jenna's free arm. Thus linked, they took up almost the entire street.

"Well, let's start as the apothecary." James named the shop farthest down the street. The chain broke only once the entire way, when Jenna tripped over the curb.

Upon entering the dim, musty shop, the five were forced to release each other, due to the narrow confines of the small room. Replenishing potions supplies was accomplished fairly quickly, as neither Sirius nor Lily had used much of theirs.

Once finished at the apothecary, they could no longer link arms, due to the shopping bags now carried, and the other shoppers were spared the difficulty of trying to circumnavigate the chain of five youngsters.

The majority of the trip was accomplished without problems, and the Marauders finished at Flourish and Bott's. Once the necessary school books were purchased, Lily and Sirius stood waiting impatiently as their more bookwormish friends browsed the bookstore. For a few minutes, anyway. Lily heaved a great sigh.

"Do you really need so many books?"

Jenna just looked at her.

"Okay, maybe you do. Me 'n' Sirius are going to get ice cream."

"Sirius and I," Jenna mumbled, already lost again in her book.

The two quickly vacated the bookstore, in search of relief for their stomachs and their boredom. They went next door, to Fortenesque's to wait for the other three and Mrs. Potter.

"They can be really boring sometimes," Lily complained, sitting down with her chocolate strawberry ice cream cone.

"They read too much," Sirius agreed. He was a bit more daring in his ice cream choice. It was called "Dragon's Blood," and was a rather sickly green color- quite similar to the shade his face had been earlier in the day.

"Hmm… I think they need to be shown the error of their ways." Lily grinned, slightly mischievously.

There was nothing slight about Sirius' look. "I think they'd look simply smashing with green hair."

"I agree. With a few orange spots?" Despite the gleam in their eyes, Lily and Sirius kept their tone of voice perfectly mild and innocent.

"And I know just the spell…"

………………………………

And that explained, why, at the welcome feast, Jenna, James and Remus all had fluorescent hair. While opening their books during a rare quiet moment on the train, all three had been given bright green and orange hair. Lily and Sirius considered it their biggest success to date.

James made the most of it, spiking his hair and strutting into the Great Hall like nobody's business, but Remus and Jenna were a little more recalcitrant about their new look. But after a few minutes, joined by the pranksters and the rest of the school in laughing at James, and then themselves, they saw the sheer hilarity of the prank. And Sirius assured them that it would wear off by morning, which comforted Jenna that she would not always have glow in the dark hair.

After the feast, the newly made second years made their way up to the old familiar Gryffindor tower and collapsed into their respective beds.

"I sure am glad to be back," Jenna whispered to Lily. "Despite your little prank."

"So am I. Except for James, the great prat," she answered. "He wasn't supposed to enjoy it."

………………………………

Yes! I am so proud of myself!! Two in one day! And Happy Halloween to all y'all out there!


	16. Quidditch Tryouts

Disclaimer: Really. Isn't mine. I'll even take Veritaserum if you want me to. Then you'll know I'm not lying.

………………

Chapter 16: Quidditch Tryouts

Saturday mornings were Jenna's favorite time of the entire week. On this day, there was no hurry to get out of bed, and so, Jenna could take her time waking up, often reading for an hour or so by the bright sunlight that would stream in through the large windows in the dormitory. Such were her plans for this particular Saturday in mid-September.

Jenna was just beginning to stir, feeling warm rays of light on her face and a cool breeze from the slightly opened window. The promise of a blissful morning spent exactly as she wished stretched before her. Until, that is, someone rudely interrupted her slow awakening.

BANG!

"Oh, what a beautiful moooorning!" Lily loved to sing. She could even sing well- when she wanted to. Now, however, her vocal powers were employed to show an overabundance of energy, rather than an appreciation for music. "Oh, what a beautiful daaaay!" She bounded across the dormitory and launched herself onto Jenna's bed. Jenna scowled. Lily didn't seem to notice. She finished her song with a theatrical flourish. "I've got a beautiful feeeeeeling, everything's going my WWAAAYYY!"

Jenna groaned. She'd had enough. Not a morning person to begin with, and then to have her peace ruined by someone who was! She shoved Lily off her bed, pulled the covers over her head, and, for all intents and purposes, went back to sleep.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lily jumped right back up and jerked the covers back and sat, beaming at Jenna until one of her eyes cracked open and she glared at the blurry outline of her friend. "Come on! Put your glasses on and get up!"

"Why?" Jenna moaned plaintively.

"Because it is morning, it's a beautiful day, and Quidditch trials have been announced!" Lily bounced several times in an expression of pure joy.

"So?" Jenna stopped trying to tug the covers out from under the exuberant redhead. "You don't have a broom."

"I'm going to use Sirius' broom."

"And if you both make it?" Jenna asked what should have been an obvious point. The fact that James was trying out went without saying.

"Don't be silly. There's only one spot open!"

Jenna opened her mouth to say something about this statement, but Lily interrupted her with "See you int the Great Hall!" and another outbreak of song and bounded out of the room.

The unfortunate Jenna rolled over, grumbling something about the (relatively) early hour, over-exuberant redheads and Quidditch tryouts. Deciding that any efforts to go back to sleep would be fruitless, Jenna fumbled on her nightstand for her glasses and sat up.

It wasn't worth the effort to get dressed. Jenna washed out her mouth and ran a brush through her long hair before leaving the dormitory. She meandered her way down to the Great Hall where Lily was sitting with the rest of the group, minus Sirius, who was absent for some unknown reason, talking animatedly about the coming tryouts. "And I heard that Sammy Hill is going to try."

"The third year?" James asked, listening intently to Lily's synopsis of the Gryffindor hopefuls. Jenna sat down across from the two.

"Welcome, Jenna. Have some breakfast." Jenna pushed a plate across to her. Jenna just glared. Lily turned back to James. "Yeah, the idiot can hardly stay on the broom. OW!" Jenna had kicked her under the table, as retaliation against being woken so early and for insinuating that only idiots had trouble flying. "Oh, oops, sorry Jenna."

Jenna snorted.

"Jenna! To what do we owe this great pleasure?" Sirius entered the Great Hall and plopped himself down next to Jenna. "It couldn't possibly be the tryouts!"

"No. Lily." The first words Jenna had said since coming down to breakfast.

"Ah. But I didn't think even she had the ability of waking you before noon. And here it is, eight o'clock!"

"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me." Jenna buried her head in her crossed arms.

"Oh, yep, you're right. It's eight-ten."

Jenna threw a roll at him. "How did I get a bunch of friends who are all morning people?" she moaned, lifting her head. "I think I should rethink that."

"Nah, you love us too much." James stopped listening to Lily's monologue for a minute.

Jenna blushed a little and put her head back down so James couldn't see. "That has yet to be decided."

"What's there to be decided?" Sirius exclaimed, as though offended. "We're fabulous...

"And brilliant..." James added.

"And dashingly handsome..."

"And amazingly talented..."

"And oh, so humble." Jenna remarked acerbically.

"Yep, that too."

The three were interrupted in their listing of James' and Sirius' many virtues by the arrival of the morning mail. A handsome golden brown owl landed on the table in front of Sirius' goblet of pumpkin juice. The sight of the owl caused Sirius go suddenly silent. He colored slightly as he reached for the envelope, on which his name was elegantly written. Without looking at the others, he ducked his head and stuffed it in the pocket of his robes. Jenna alone noticed Sirius' curious reaction, as James had returned to discussing Quidditch with Lily and Remus was absorbed in her bacon. He refused to meet her eye, though, so nothing was said on the topic. He remained gloomy for the rest of the meal.

With twenty minutes until the try-outs, Lily dragged the others outside to the Quidditch pitch, "to check the flying conditions." While Lily and James warmed up for the trials, Jenna and Remus, followed by Sirius, to Jenna's great surprise, went up to the stands.

"Why aren't you going out for the team?" Jenna asked Sirius as they sat.

"I'm no Seeker. I prefer Beater. You'd know that if you watched anyone other than James when we played." Sirius replied shortly.

Jenna immediately turned scarlet. "What? I don't..."

"Careful there, or you'll catch something on fire." Remus mussed her hair, sitting down just behind the other two. "And, yes, you do."

"I watch all of you!"

"No, you don't."

"I do!"

"So what kind of broom does James have?" Sirius asked.

"A Cleansweep." Jenna said, as though pointing out the obvious.

"And what kind do I have?" Remus questioned the poor girl.

"Um..." Jenna turned a deeper shade of red, if that was even possible, making a private resolution to pay more attention to the rest of her friends.

"See? I told you so." Sirius turned to watch their two friends among the other hopefuls.

"Does he know?" Jenna asked, quiet and embarrassed, turning to address Remus, as Sirius was now ignoring the conversation in favor of watching the trials.

"I don't think so," he answered. "I don't think he'd notice."

"Don't tell him?" Jenna pleaded.

"Of course not."

"Thanks." Remus then turned his full attention to the try-outs. Jenna acted as if she too were fully captivated by watching the players, but was really wondering how she had been so transparent that Sirius had noticed her crush on James and how many other people had figured it out.

An hour later, Remus went back up to the castle "to do some homework," and Sirius and Jenna had resorted to playing tic-tac-toe on a spare bit of parchment Jenna found in her pocket.

"There! I win again!" Sirius slashed a line diagonally across the game.

"Sirius?" Jenna asked, thoughtfully drawing another grid.

"Yeah?" Sirius replied distractedly. His attention had briefly returned to the try-outs.

"Um. What was in that letter?"

Sirius scowled, his grey eyes turning to steel. "Nothing important."

"It was important. You never get quiet like that."

Sirius sighed and was quiet for a minute before speaking. "It's just my mother, telling me off for being in Gryffindor and 'besmirching the family name' by hanging out with you guys. She's even gone so far as to say that I should befriend the Slytherins so I can be a better 'mentor' for Regalus when he comes to school. She sends them every couple weeks, when she's got nothing better to do on Friday nights."

"That's terrible. I can't imagine my mother saying anything like that."

"Yeah, well, that's my family. You're lucky."

"Yeah, I guess I am. But I've never seen you get any others."

"Course not. You're always in bed until noon on Saturday." Sirius smiled and met Jenna's eyes for the first time, a little of his usual playful banter coming back. "Oh, look, I guess they're done." He pointed out onto the pitch, where the team captain was calling everyone down. Though they were too far away to hear, the results of the try-outs were clear. Lily threw her broom on the ground, earning a shout of dismay from Sirius, and stomped off to the changing rooms, while the captain and many members of the team patted James on the back.

"Uh-oh." Jenna immediately stood and went as fast as she could down the stands to the changing room. Sirius went the less conventional way of over the seats down to the pitch to congratulate his best friend and to rescue his broomstick from the ground, where Lily had left it.

"Lily?" Jenna called as she opened the door to the changing room, but this was unnecessary. She located the red-head by the repeated slamming of a locker and yelling. Jenna went to the fuming girl, putting her hand on Lily's shoulder. She shrugged it off, turning away to pull a comb out of her bag. Running it roughly through her short red hair, Lily muttered, "Why? Why does he always do this to me? I will never be good enough, I will never be able to beat him!"

"Lily, why did you try out? You know James plays Seeker. You're..." Here Jenna was nearly stumped., until she remembered a well aimed Bludger one afternoon when James had once again gotten a better score than Lily. "You're a Beater."

"What difference does that make? I can fly just as well. And those glasses of his can't help him see much better."

"Lils, that's what glasses are for." Jenna adjusted her own.

"I meant glare from the sun! It would get in the way," Lily said almost self-righteously.

"My point is you play different positions. You do different things. You can't expect to beat James at his own position."

"Just because you're in love with him..."

"What?! That's not what this is about..."

"I don't see why you like him so much!"

"I can't see why you don't!" Jenna retorted. "How do you even know?!"

"Oh, I see. Now you're going to get mad because you should have told me ages ago!"

"Lily Evans, you're being stupid!"

"I am not! Why are you yelling at me when I just lost to the biggest idiot of the century?"

"Lily, no, it's not like that..." Jenna's quiet plea did nothing to calm Lily. She shoved her things into her bag and stomped out of the changing room, leaving Jenna to be surrounded by the Gryffindor team and Sirius, all of whom were talking and laughing, planning a party for that night in the common room. Jenna's quiet congratulations were nearly lost in the noise of celebration. Finally, upset by her argument with Lily and by being ignored, Jenna left and went up to Gryffindor Tower to finish a potions essay.

Up in the girls' dormitory, Jenna glanced at Lily's bed, which had the curtains pulled shut. She sighed, knowing better than to bother Lily when she was upset like this, and took her books down to the common room, where she set up shop at a table near a window, determined to make the most of the sunshine while it lasted. She knew from experience it wouldn't last long, and winter would soon be upon the school. Pulling her half finished essay on the correct method of increasing the amounts in potions to adjust the strength closer, she sighed again and set to work.

An hour later, Jenna was no longer even pretending to work. She had run into a wall forty-five minutes ago and was now staring aimlessly out the window, watching some people playing in the lake.

"There's actually only 10 grams of witchhazel, which, with this conversion, makes 17 milliliters of frog's blood, not 13." Lily pulled herself up on the table next to Jenna.

Jenna pulled her attention back into the room with a start.. "Oh. Which means all these others are wrong, too."

"Yeah."

"Ugh." Jenna pushed her essay away and put her head in her hands. "I don't want to redo it."

"Really? This is a historical moment. Jenna does not want to finish her homework."

"Mm. I'd smack you if I had the energy, but you see, someone woke me up too early this morning."

"Poor Jenna." Lily grinned, kicking her legs back and forth. A scuffle at the portrait hole brought both girls' attention to a boisterous group of people pouring into the common room. "Umm… I don't want to stay for the party. Come with me?"

"Where?"

"I don't know. Anywhere. Unless," Lily grinned. "Unless you want to stay and make eyes at James I'll just sit over there and laugh at you," she added, pointed to an armchair in a dark corner.

"Yeah, I'll come. Just a minute." While she was putting her books back in her bag, James and Sirius bounced over and up onto the table. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Hey, haven't seen you two all day!" Sirius hadn't noticed their less-than- enthusiastic greeting from Lily.

"Well, you won't be seeing us again. We were just leaving." Lily looked, blank-faced, at James.

"No, stay for the party." James pleaded.

On this plea, Jenna waivered and almost said she'd stay. But then she caught sight of Lily's face, a mixture of disappointment, anger and loneliness. She smiled at her best friend. "No, sorry, I promised Lily. It's a girl thing."

Lily smiled and the two girls left the common room together.

…………………

Wow, I think that's my longest chapter yet. I'm so proud of myself! But I'm cursing MS Word 2007. Apparently it has a different ending... Anyway, sorry it's been so long. My creative juices have been dried up by school… So, sad indication of how long it's been… when I was writing the part about Lily talking about the try-outs, I almost wrote her saying that Snape was going to try out for the team… You know the cure for such lapses in rational thought? Lots and lots of reviews!!


	17. Shrinking, Shrinking, Shrunk

Disclaimer: Hmm… I'm sitting on my bed! I loooove my laptop! And why is this relevant to a disclaimer? Because this laptop, which contains the entire text (mostly, anyway, I'm still debating about a scene I wrote in my notebook) is not registered to someone with the initial of JKR…

Chapter 17: Shrinking, Shrinking, Shrunk

One Monday in February, a miracle happened. All five Marauders were in the Great Hall on time for breakfast. There was no last minute scrambling to find school books, bags, or even clothes. No one had hidden Peter's wand, so there was no last minute regaining of a conscience. No Slytherins were encountered in the halls, the staircases behaved themselves, for once, Peeves had been scared out of his wits by the Bloody Baron, and so, the Marauders were on time for breakfast.

So, what was the reason for this early awakening?

Lily had set a dungbomb to go off in the boys' dormitory at six in the morning.

So of course this morning was an early one.

The boys had retaliated- or rather, attempted to- after a short planning session in the common room, by charging up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, with the intent of setting their bed curtains on fire.

Unfortunately for them, they did not know of the staircases' unfortunate habit of changing to a slide.

Fortunately, this accomplished their goal of waking the girls up, as the transformation was accompanied by a loud klaxon-like sound.

So, the girls were awakened, and stood at the top of the stairs for a good five minutes, laughing at the twisted pile of limbs, smelling faintly of dung, at the bottom of the slide. Well, Lily laughed. Jenna just glared. Until Lily pulled her down the slide- into the odorous dog-pile- at which point she shrieked. And would have gone back to bed, except for the fact that there was no way up the smooth, gently curving slide.

Denied the ability to return to bed, by the staircase for the girls, and the smell for the boys, the five decided to simply beat the rest of the school to breakfast.

So, yes, the Marauders were on time for breakfast. But, dressed, they were not. Still in pajamas, with un-combed hair and smelling of dungbombs, they took seats at the very middle of the Gryffindor table and partook of the goodness that was set before them.

"I kind of feel sorry for Peter." Remus reached for the bacon. "He didn't wake up with the rest of us…"

Lily snorted.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you. You're still his partner for Potions." James reminded her. The second years had been set in partnerships to work on a potion that needed to sit over the weekend, and the same partnerships would apply today as they finished.

"Aw, man…"

"Don't complain. It's your fault." Jenna grumped, true to her nature as an anti-morning person.

"You helped!"

"So?"

"So, you should be his partner!"

"In what universe does that logic make sense?"

"This one?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Nothin' doin'. Professor Salsa set him as your partner, you deal with him."

"Oh, shut your bickering." Jenna and Lily both stuck their tongues out at James.

A period of silence ensued while the quintet ate their breakfast.

"We must do this more often," Sirius remarked, to break the uncharacteristic silence.

"What, you enjoy smelling like crap?" James asked, incredulous.

"No, I enjoy the bounty of good things to eat."

"Ah, yes, the glories of the unspoiled banquet of early morning."

"What, have you two been reading Shakespeare?" Lily asked, kicking James and Sirius under the table.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"No, Shakespeare would have said something like: To eat or not to eat, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to-"

"Now, you two stop your bickering." The two glared at Remus. "No, I mean it. Dumbledore looks like he wants to say something."

And so the headmaster did. He was standing at the podium, waiting for the room, which had filled remarkably quickly with nearly the entire population of the school, to quiet. Despite the number of students, it didn't take long. "I apologize for any inconvenience, but I would like to say a few words this fine morning. We would like to extend a warm welcome back to a returning teacher. Professor Slughorn, who has taken the last year and a half off teaching for a well earned hiatus, will return to his normal post as potions master, beginning today. We would like to thank Professor Salsa for her kind service filling in for Professor Slughorn for the period of his sabbatical." Dumbledore led the room in a round of applause before sitting back down at the head of the staff table. Under cover of the noise, Lily whispered to Jenna, "Hah, maybe I won't have to be partners with Peter."

"You shouldn't be so mean. You know he needs your help in potions." Jenna reminded Lily of her prowess in the subject. She was easily one of the best in the year.

"Bah." Lily turned back to her breakfast.

"Well, aren't we a cheerful bunch?" Remus rolled his eyes.

"Some of us actually need sleep." Jenna was slowly stirring her cereal.

"I would think you would be one of them, Remy. Isn't full moon next week?" James reached across Remus for a piece of toast. Remus stabbed him with his fork. "Hey!"

"Be quiet."

"Hey, Lils, next time you decide to wake us up, make sure it's after seven, 'kay?" Sirius grumped.

"Yeah, that was a bit stupid on my part."

"Anyway, we have potions soon. We should all go get dressed." Jenna pushed her half eaten bowl of cereal away and stood to go back up to the dormitory. The rest followed.

…………..

Despite waking up so early, the Marauders were late to potions class. They ran pell-mell down to the first floor classroom- Sirius was still tying his tie- and burst in, out of breath, just as the bell rang.

"Ah! I didn't think this class was quite big enough!" Professor Slughorn greeted them. He was a rather short, very fat man, with a bushy mustache, mostly gray but shot through with auburn. He was going bald, with a large shiny spot in the middle of his head. "Now, please take your seats."

The five took their seats, with their partners. Lily sat as far away from Peter as she possibly could, still looking slightly hopeful that the new professor would not make them finish the potions they were working on.

"Now, in order to ascertain how much Professor Salsa has taught you children, I would like you to continue with the hiccup curing potion you were assigned last Friday." Lily groaned. Slughorn looked up. "Do you have something to add, Miss…"

"Evans." Lily supplied. "And, no, I just…um…" She couldn't keep herself from sneaking a glance at Peter, sitting next to her. He looked mortified, blushing hard and refusing to look anywhere but the desk in front of him. "I…"

"Ah, Miss Evans. Professor Salsa mentioned you."

"Oh, she did?" It was Lily's turn to blush.

"Yes, apparently, you're quite the potions whiz." Slughorn looked at Lily approvingly.

"Um, I don't know about that…"

"And so humble, too. I'm quite impressed already. I look forward to getting to know you better."

"Thank you, I think."

Slughorn chuckled. "Now, back to work everybody. Oh, and one more thing. Beginning tomorrow, potions will meet in the dungeons." Surprised mutterings ensued. "Nothing too surprising, that's where potions has always been held. At least, it had until Professor Salsa decided to change everything around… Anyway, that's neither here nor there, so back to work!"

"Hm, I sense a little bitterness," Lily muttered to Jenna as they gathered at the store cupboards.

"Yeah, but at least he seems to like you."

Lily grunted. "Yeah, but I still have to work with Peter."

"It's your fault."

"So? He could have taken a shower."

For Lily, the class couldn't pass fast enough. Normally a subject she liked, today she just wanted to get over with it, thanks to her early morning prank. Finally, pass it did, and the bell rang to take them to Charms, the next class of the day.

"Finally," Lily exclaimed as she packed her books back into her bag. "Finally, a fun subject."

"Finally? It's only the second class." James rolled his eyes.

"A fun subject?! Lily my dear, when will you realize that there are no fun subjects?" Sirius slung an arm around the red-head's shoulders as they made their way around desks and the remnants of Snape's potion. Sirius had chucked a spitwad into the unsuspecting Slytherin's cauldron, causing the hiccup curing solution to explode.

"Just because you're terrible at charms…" Lily retorted.

"Hey, no need to rub it in!"

"Oh, but you know I must…"

Friendly banter of the like continued up the stairs and through several corridors until the group entered the Charms classroom, where they took their usual seats, ready for an enjoyable lesson. Despite Sirius' claims to the contrary, Professor Flitwick often prepared fun lessons, which were made even more fun by the amount of "accidental" pranking that could happen.

A decent lesson was promised when Flitwick entered, balancing a large crate of oversized thimbles. The tall professor set them gently on his desk before turning to the class and beginning the lesson.

"Now, if you will quiet down, we may begin," Flitwick said in his deep voice, bringing the class to a semblance of order. "Today we will be studying shrinking charms. You might have noticed that your thimbles are much too large to be of any use. Your task will be to return these thimbles to their original, useful size. Instructions are here-" he waved his wand at the blackboard- "and I will be monitoring to answer any questions you might have. I must warn you before-hand, this spell is not meant to be used on living beings, as the effects are often irreversible. If you want a weight loss charm"- his eye twinkled merrily- "talk to Madam Pomfrey. Now, please take a thimble and then you may begin."

The scuffle that ensued resulted in only one accident- Jenna tripped over a bag left in the aisle between rows of desks. James laughed and helped his friend to her feet. The girl blushed and turned away so he wouldn't see her embarrassment.

Back at the row of desks at the back of the room, Lily was planning the uses this particular charm could have. "We could shrink the toilets! Or Peter's sheets, that would be funny. Or Snivelly's undies!"

"Yeah, but in that case, we would actually have to _see_ his undies. Do you really want that?" Remus reminded the exuberant girl.

"Uh, no, not really. We could shrink his head!"

"Lils, I don't think we could do that. Professor Flitwick said-" James had returned, followed closely by Jenna.

"Or we could shrink your head," Lily muttered.

"What?" A momentary expression of hurt crossed James' face. The only one to see was Jenna, who looked quickly from the boy to her best friend.

"Oh, nothing!" Lily replied a little too brightly.

"Oh. Well, let's get to work."

Half an hour later, Lily was the only one who had succeeded in shrinking her thimble to the correct size. She fit it on her finger and was triumphantly waving it in the air, when James got fed up with his thimble, which had done nothing but skip a couple times. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Lily asked, though her grin indicated she knew exactly what. She just wanted her rival to acknowledge it.

James grumbled a little before giving the desired reply. "How are you so good at this?"

"Oh, I don't know, natural skill, I guess."

"Yeah, and you say I have a big head." James muttered darkly.

"What, I didn't quite catch that."

"I said, I'm not the only one with a big head around here." James glared at Lily, still a little hurt from her earlier comment about his ego.

"Really. Well, I'd say yours is a bit bigger than mine."

"What makes you think that?"

"You haven't stopped bragging about your stupid Quidditch team since you made it."

"It's not my fault I'm better than you!"

"Why you-" Lily hissed through clenched jaws, raising her arm to try shrinking his head, regardless of James' earlier warning. Unfortunately, in the same second as Lily yelled the spell, James bent down to pick up his thimble, which had bounced off his desk. The jet of white light soared over his head, and hit Flitwick squarely in the back. Lily had an instant to register that her spell had not hit her intended target before a burst of bright light issued from the professor's body. Silence swept the classroom as every student turned and stared in shock as the tall man shrank, and shrank, and shrank, each time sending off another burst of light. He shrank, until, with a final burst of light, the top of his tall pointed hat was no higher than Lily's shoulder. When it was clear that Professor Flitwick would shrink no further, every eye in the class turned to Lily, who was standing in shock, her trembling wand arm still extended.

………

I always wondered why Flitwick was so short... heehee. You should be glad that JKR already gave a reason for Hagrid… Otherwise I might find it necessary to do something horrible to him, as well. ;) Review please!

On an unrelated note, I am in desperate need of a beta. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please let me know!!


	18. Repercussions

Disclaimer: Please, oh please don't make me do this again!! sigh I suppose I must. So, anything vaguely familiar isn't mine.

………

Chapter 18: Repercussions

"Why you-" Lily hissed through clenched jaws, raising her arm to try shrinking his head, regardless of James' earlier warning. Unfortunately, in the same second as Lily yelled the spell, James bent down to pick up his thimble, which had bounced off his desk. The jet of white light soared over his head, and hit Flitwick squarely in the back. Lily had an instant to register that her spell had not hit her intended target before a burst of bright light issued from the professor's body. Silence swept the classroom as every student turned and stared in shock as the tall man shrank, and shrank, and shrank, each time sending off another burst of light. He shrank, until, with a final burst of light, the top of his tall pointed hat was no higher than Lily's shoulder. When it was clear that Professor Flitwick would shrink no further, every eye in the class turned to Lily, who was standing in shock, her trembling wand arm still extended.

………

_Hide!_

This single syllable was the first- and only- thought that crossed Lily's mind as the newly shrunk professor turned his gaze to her. She promptly squeaked and dropped under her desk, her wand falling from suddenly weak fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut as shocked whispers began circulating the classroom and wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her head in the crook of her elbow.

"Lily… what did you do?" Jenna asked, in an awed whisper, as she dropped down so she could see Lily. The red-head made no response, except to shake her head and make herself smaller, if that was at all possible.

A row of desks away, Flitwick was recovering from his shock. After a quick check, finding that nothing was actually hurt, just shrunk magnificently, he determined that this strange occurrence had effectively ended any actual work that could be done that day. "Class-" He stopped. His former bass had been astoundingly changed to a high pitched squeak, rivaling Lily's of just a few moments ago. "Well, it would appear that I will now be singing soprano," Flitwick continued, still squeaking. A few weak chuckles replied. "I think class should end early today. You are dismissed, with the exception of Miss Evans. Miss Evans, I would like to speak with you for a few minutes."

Under the desk, Lily shuddered. Jenna patted her on the shoulder. The room filled with the noises of fifteen or so students packing their belongings and leaving. Lily's friends stayed resolutely by her desk, as if to protect her from any terrible punishment the professor might have in store for her.

"Miss Smith, Misters Potter, Black and Lupin, I will return Miss Evans in one piece. Please leave us."

The four cast sympathetic glances in the direction of Lily's desk, before reluctantly leaving the classroom.

"Miss Evans, please come out," Flitwick squeaked. Lily retreated further under the desk. Lily ignored him. Flitwick sighed and crouched down until his head was level with Lily's. "Miss Evans. Please tell me how this happened." Lily shook her head violently, still refusing to look up. "You know, Miss Evans, I wouldn't expect this from you. I've heard from the other teachers that you will face anything with your head held high, that you're no shrinking violet."

This finally elicited a response. Lily whispered two words. "It's different."

"Ah, yes. None of your other _escapades_ have had long lasting effects."

Lily vehemently shook her head.

"No? Oh, yes, the incident last year."

Lily nodded.

"Rest assured, that event was not entirely your fault. And Mr. Lupin has adapted to his situation marvelously. But you still will not forgive yourself?"

Silence.

"And now there is another situation that you have caused." Flitwick took Lily's continued silence as an affirmation of his conclusions. "Admittedly, I am curious as to how, and why, you allow Mr. Potter to upset you this much."

Lily rolled her eyes, still covered by her arm.

"Your rivalry with him is quite natural. However, I do not think you should allow your… feelings for him-" Lily interrupted with a disgusted noise. Flitwick raised an eyebrow and continued- "to interfere with your class work. There is also no reason for you to feel inferior. You are an excellent witch, skilled in Charms and, so I've heard, in Potions as well. I will see what can be done to reverse this situation, but if there is nothing to be done, well, I've always had a hard time finding clothes long enough. Congratulate yourself on a powerful charm well applied.

"However, as I did warn you that this charm was not to be used on humans I am giving you two week's worth of detentions and fifty points taken from Gryffindor, despite the fact that I understand the basis for your attack on Mr. Potter. You may leave now. Details of your detentions will be given to you later this evening." With a sigh, realizing that Lily would not move until she was alone, Flitwick stood and left the classroom, shutting the door securely behind him.

Only when she heard the classroom door shut did Lily unfold her legs and stood, carefully avoiding hitting her head on the desk. Gathering her books, she exited the classroom.

Her friends were waiting just down the hall. James and Sirius were laughing at the shrinking of the professor and especially the look on Lily's face as she realized what she had done. Remus and Jenna were more calmly discussing the event, wondering if anything could be done, and what Flitwick was saying to their friend.

As Lily approached, all discussion ceased at the sight of Lily's face, still horror stricken. For a moment, anyway. Then Sirius and James started loudly congratulating her on the prank of the year, Jenna wrapped her arm around Lily's shoulders and Remus asked what Flitwick had said, that kept her in there so long.

At this show of affection and loyalty, it was all Lily could do not to burst into tears. "So, you guys don't hate me?"

"Why would we hate you? Everyone's talking about how brilliant that was," James soothed.

"Lily, Lily, Lily, when will you learn that the only thing we would hate you for is if you suddenly started cheering for the Slytherin Quidditch team?" Sirius assured her, getting a little giggle in return, though that might have been because Sirius found her ticklish spot in putting his arm around her waist. Lily smacked his hand away. "So, what say you all to some FOOD?!"

"Are you serious?" Ignoring Sirius' interruption of "Actually…" Lily continued to say, "How can you eat right now? I feel sick to my stomach."

"Ah, but that's only because you are too soft hearted. Who woulda thunk? Lily actually has a heart." Lily's only response was to glare at Sirius. "Food would put you right back where you ought to be. Especially the sugary kind," Sirius added, with a wiggle of the eyebrows.

"Ugh."

"Anyway," Jenna interrupted with a glare at Sirius, "what did Professor Flitwick say?"

"Um, he said that I shouldn't let my- uh, he said I'm an excellent witch and it was a good charm and-"

"Unbelievable. You shrink the teacher and you get praise?! How do you manage that?!" James was incredulous.

"I did get punished! I got a week of detention!"

"Oh, well, at least there's some justice in the world." James muttered.

"What is your problem?" Lily looked disgusted.

"My problem? You're the one who can get away with anything!"

"Like you ever do anything you might get in trouble for!"

"I do to! We do stuff all the time!"

"Only when I'm there! The only person less likely to get in trouble than you is Jenna!" At this, Jenna scowled and took her arm off Lily. Sirius grinned at her, slinging an arm around her shoulders and holding Remus back, whispered, "Let's give the lovebirds some space," with a twinkle in his eye. Jenna scowled again at the pang in her heart at the word, but stayed. Lily and James continued bickering all the way to the Great Hall, ignorant of the fact that the other three had left them.

………

The effects of Lily's shrinking charm were that everyone suddenly knew who she was and so she had to endure whisperings that followed her for several weeks. Gradually, the other students became accustomed to Flitwick's new decreased stature. His cheerful acceptance of the situation helped ease the pangs of guilt Lily would feel upon entering his classroom.

Lily's detentions, another effect, were to be served with Professor Slughorn, helping him prepare assorted demonstration potions and ingredients. Every evening for two weeks, Lily trudged with growing reluctance down to the dungeons, where Slughorn had his office. Slughorn spent the entire week praising Lily on her potions ability and her spunky nature. He proved himself to be an ingratiating teacher, overly praising and obsequious to the hilt. Lily formed an immediate, intense dislike of the man the first time he pinched her cheek. After that event, her barely concealed sarcasm and disguised insults were accounted for as spunk and charming cheekiness by the abominable man.

Perversely, Lily's dislike of the man made her increase her efforts in that class, wanting to prove that he would have nothing to do with her potions ability. This made a second subject she would study relentlessly, the first being Charms. Unfortunately, Lily's increased proficiency only recommended her even more to Slughorn, as he took full credit for her abilities. Lily refused to listen to Jenna's opinion on this subject, which happened to be correct, insisting that she knew what she was doing and that she was going to make Slughorn eat his words about "perfecting" her "inherent aptitude" someday.

Lily redoubled her efforts in Charms as well. This effort had a much more altruistic reasoning- she simply wanted to make up for her unintentional shrinking of the professor. Scoring higher than James was not a bad side effect, either. She did not have the same ease as he did at retaining knowledge. James was one of those who never had to study, though he read on his own quite often. Jenna gave her best efforts, though, lacking the natural quickness of her friends, she had to spend a majority of her time studying in order to keep up with them, reading fewer books for her own amusement. Sirius somehow managed with even less studying than James, though his grades weren't exactly top-notch. Remus was Remus, and seemed to study just for the fun of it.

Full moons were much the same as they had been the year before. Remus was led down to the Whomping Willow by the school nurse, to spend the night in a form completely opposite of his usual nature. The others continued to find empty rooms to work on becoming Animagi forms. They were working their way through a strict program of mental exercises, making progress slowly, but faster than the program was designed.

The weeks and months passed quickly, through midnight kitchen runs, pranks on the Slytherins, Snape especially, Quidditch, and of course, homework. This last increased dramatically as the end of the year approached, in preparation for exams.

The level of anxiety as exams approached proved to be too much for Lily. Studying the night before the Transfiguration exam pushed her over the edge. Throwing her book across the dormitory, where she and Jenna had secluded themselves for a little peace and quiet, the irritated red-head exclaimed that she couldn't stand this any longer and was in serious need of a break.

"You may not need more studying, but I do," Jenna replied calmly. She was calm on the surface, at least. Her insides were churning with nerves for the exam the next day. It wasn't helping her studying at all. She had no idea how she was going to retain all the notes she had taken during the year.

Casting an impatient look in her direction, Lily said, "Come on, you know all this stuff. And you know that."

"Why would you say that?"

"Oh, please. Our practices?" Lily reminded Jenna, referring to the Animagus practice they did every month.

"I'm still the worst."

"And you will still get full marks."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Come on, I need a break," Lily pleaded, tugging the book from Jenna's hands. Reluctantly, Jenna let her take thick Transfiguration text, sighing a little as she succumbed to her best friend's pleas.

"What is it that you want to do?"

"Well, for now, I would settle for a brownie."

"You're interrupting my studying to drag me to the kitchens?"

"Yes."

"At least let me take my book."

"No. I'm making you take a studying break. It's for your own good. Let's go." Lily dragged Jenna from the room before she could protest.

Down in the kitchens, the pair enjoyed chewy brownies stuffed with chocolate chips and walnuts, topped in melting ice-cream, courtesy of the house elves. Well, they would have enjoyed said brownies, had Jenna not constantly checked facts and methods with Lily, bothering her to no end. After an exasperated plea, "In the name of all that is holy, please stop!" the girls lapsed into a sullen silence as they finished their desserts.

"Can I go back and study now?" Jenna asked, as Lily finished the last scrapings of melted ice-cream.

"No. I'm still bored. We need to do something fun."

"Like what?" Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Um… I think I'm feeling a prank coming on." Lily closed her eyes and contemplatively sniffed the air.

Jenna sighed, mildly irritated at her friend's theatrics.

Lily opened her eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes, definitely a prank. Let's get the boys." She jumped up, re-energized from the rich brownie and stood impatiently waiting for Jenna to follow her lead. Sighing again, Jenna pushed her bowl away, slowly standing up. The two left the kitchens, Lily nearly skipping in her happiness in having a plan that didn't involve studying.

It took half an hour before they could track down the male half of the Marauders, as their map was in the possession of James. Finally, they were found in the library, as Remus had coerced a protesting Sirius and a slightly more willing James into spending a few minutes in studying. Lily bounced up to the table., the last half hour doing nothing for her sugar high. "Hey, there you are! We need the map!" She spoke a little too loudly for the librarian's taste, who glared at the group from her desk across the library.

"Excellent! A diversion!" Sirius exclaimed, earning an extra fierce look from Madame Pince.

"Well, that's the end of that!" James slammed his book closed.

"I had just gotten them to sit still!" Remus said indignantly.

"So? It's just Transfiguration." Lily pointed out.

"Just Transfiguration?"

"Yeah, not hard."

"I still don't understand that." Try as he might, Remus could not understand why his four friends were solidly ahead of him, no matter the amount of work he put into that subject, and of course they refused to enlighten him.

"Eh, whatever. Are you coming or not?" Lily asked, effectively closing the subject, before Remus could pry into their Animagi business.

Exchanging aggravated glances with Jenna, Remus finally complied. "Well, I guess we have been studying long enough."

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Lily silenced at a look from the steaming librarian, and lead the others out into the hall.

"Okay, so what's all this about?" an excited Sirius asked.

"Have you got the map?" Lily asked, as he pulled it out of his bag. "Excellent." Lily set off, striding determinedly down the hall, keeping an eye on the map. Stopping in front of the Transfiguration classroom, Lily checked the map to make sure the coast was clear, whispered "Alohomora!" and opened the door. She quickly ushered the others in before shutting the door quietly.

"Okay, Lils. You've trapped us. What's your plan?" James asked, lighting his wand to illuminate the dimly lit classroom.

"We are going to switch the classrooms!" Lily said with relish

"Which classrooms?" Sirius asked.

"This one and the one across the hall, dimwit," Lily grinned. "Down to the last cobweb."

Sirius gulped. "C-cobwebs?"

"Yeah, empty classrooms have them." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Wait, don't tell me you're afraid of spiders?" James asked, incredulously.

"No, don't be silly. Just cobwebs." Sirius shuddered. "They're so… dirty," he whispered, sending the others into gales of stifled laughter.

"How would we move cobwebs, anyway?" Remus pointed out, ever the pragmatist.

"Okay, fine. No cobwebs," Lily modified, still giggling about her friend's absurd fear.

"Thank you!" Sirius exclaimed fervently.

"So, let's get to work!" James grabbed the nearest desk, pulling it to door. The others joined in, Jenna and Remus' reserve banished by the bout of gaiety brought by Sirius' admission. The five worked with a great fervor, pulling the desks from McGonagall's room into the other and dragging the miscellaneous items that had accumulated in the empty classroom to take their places, occasionally glancing at the map and pulling the doors closed when someone patrolling the halls came into view. They were more than halfway finished when a sudden noise in the corridor startled Jenna, who dropped a wastebasket with a great clatter. The others froze in place as Peeves the poltergeist came into view. At the sight of the pranksters, Peeves' face broke into a giant mischievous grin.

"Oooh, what dastardly undertakings are going on in the Transfiguration classroom?" Peeves squealed, much too loudly for Jenna's tastes.

"Peeves! Shush!"

"Doest mine ears deceive me, or is this diminutive student dare to give me an order?"

In a flash of insight, Sirius popped his head out of the classroom door. "Hey, Peeves!"

The poltergeist gave Sirius a look, as if he barely deigned to give the boy his attention.

"You wanna help us?"

The words struck Peeves absolutely speechless. Never had a student invited him to cause mayhem. The other Marauders had to studiously avoid looking at each other so they wouldn't burst out laughing again at the look on Peeves' face and break the spell.

"Come on, you know you want to. You're just itching to trick McGonagall. You're dying to cause problems on exam week."

Peeves continued to stare at Sirius. Finally James couldn't take it any longer and let out a snort of laughter. This seemed to break the spell, bringing Peeves to a modicum of sense, if he had any to begin with. "You students want me, Peeves, the master of all things mischievous, to help you with your little prank?"

"Uh, yeah, that sounds about right!" Catching on, Jenna nodded, confirming Peeves' statement.

Peeves went silent for about three milliseconds. "Sure!"

The switching of the rooms was completed in a short time after that, as Peeves actually helped the students in their break from studying.

Later, as the Marauders were heading up to bed, congratulating each other after completing the switch and duping Peeves into helping them rather than sound the alarm, Jenna could actually be hear to say that she was glad to have escaped the tension of studying for the evening. This caused a moment of shocked silence, and then a triumphant "I told you so!" from Lily.

The rooms were restored to their natural order fairly quickly by Professor McGonagall the next morning, though witnesses said her face was "priceless" when she entered her room for the first exam of the day. The Marauders, who were hidden in an alcove down the hall, congratulated themselves on their victory, but assiduously devoted the rest of the evenings that week to studying and preparation, "to avoid suspicion." It didn't work, and points were taken from Gryffindor, and the House Cup was lost to Ravenclaw for the first time in several years.

In due time, the Hogwarts Express took the students home for summer vacation, leaving them at Platform 9 ¾ to be returned to their families and left without magic for several long months.

………

Definitely my longest chapter. Over 9 pages and over 3,400 words! I'm very proud of myself. Not too thrilled with the ending, though.

Reviews help my feet smell good!

Still need a beta!


End file.
